Give-A-Kid-A-Helmet

Program Description

Wearing the right gear is a key step in preventing brain and spinal cord injuries in many popular sports and physical activities. When costs are prohibitive, children often play unprotected. Therefore, ThinkFirst created the Give-a-kid-a-helmet program in 2003 to provide children with a helmet so that they can participate safely in the healthy physical activities of childhood - like riding a bike, learning to ice skate, or playing team sports such as hockey and baseball.

Through this program and related initiatives, we've given away over $700,000 in helmets, supplying 35,000 kids across Canada with this vital protective gear. In 2006, ThinkFirst Canada partnered with Wal-Mart Canada to develop a voucher system for helmet distribution. In addition to this in-kind support, we have also raised funds for this program through Chapter fundraising initiatives and partnerships with local retailers, private donations, and corporate sponsorships. Our Chapters work with other groups within their communities, such as schools, police, or public health units to identify children and families in need of free helmets.

Visit our Chapter pages to see how this program is working in your communities. Here you can also check out information on your Chapters upcoming Helmet Fitting Clinics, free public education sessions that focus on how to choose, and fit the right helmets for your family.