Community
Coat Drive
To open up our 2021 Season of Giving, the Raptors 905 Last partnered with the Salvation Army to host a Coat Drive, bringing in used clothing for those in need. The 905 were able to help donate new and slightly used winter clothes to vulnerable children and families during the holiday season.
Toy Drive
The Raptors 905 partnered with the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Toy Drive during our 2021 Season of Giving. Holiday wishes came true for those in need during the holiday season and saw over 1000 toys given to families and children, all showing smiles over the Christmas break.
Our Place Peel Donations
Our Place Peel is an emergency youth shelter based in the Peel region that provides support for to children and youth displaced from their homes. The Raptors 905 supported the Our Place Peel Youth Shelter this year by donating and delivering over 250 hygiene and toiletry products to the shelter. The Raptors 905 are always looking for ways to give back to those in need in our community.
Active Scholars Programming
Active Scholars connected with the Raptors 905 to promote their Girls Infinity Program. The program held unique learning opportunities in STEM and basketball development for girls interested in developing both in the classroom and on the court. From drills and games, to labs and worksheets, participants were kept busy all day!
SHERO Camp
This year, the Raptors 905 ran our first ever SHERO Girls Development Program. Girls in grades 5 to 9 spent four weeks learning and developing both basketball and life skills. Each week of the program, we invited a new female guest speaker to talk about their journey and accomplishments in their field. The SHERO program is committed to providing young girls with opportunities both on and off the court.
Summer Reading Program
The Third Annual Raptors 905 Summer Reading Challenge kicked off once again this summer with five books focused on BIPOC representation. The Raptors 905 partnered with First Book Canada, Penguin Random House, and Tangerine to encourage students to read books that are inclusive of all voices, stories, and experiences. Over 500 kids across Canada participated in the reading program, and were given the incredible opportunity to meet the authors of each book.
Summer Camps
Two weeks of summer camps at the Raptors 905 ran this year with over 100 children in attendance. Our camps this year featured skills and drills stations, coaches vs. kids games, a 2K Gaming Lounge, 905 Swag, and plenty of fun activities for the kids. With visits from our mascot Stripes, our VP Courtney Charles and Head Coach Eric Khoury, our summer camp participants engaged with both basketball and learning opportunities.
Fan Fest
Our most successful Fan Fest to date, families travelled from across the GTA to Churchill Meadows Community Centre. Fan Fest gave kids a chance to train some basketball skills and enjoy some fun activities. Our 30-minute rotations had participants develop their offensive shooting ability, practice their defensive movement, and hang out with the live animals or play some 2K. Special guests made an appearance at Fan Fest including Superfan Nav Bhatia, and Head Coach Eric Khoury, speaking and taking photos with nearly 100 kids.
