A Scarborough initiative that offers lower-cost basketball lessons has launched a crowdfunding campaign to keep up with expenses and expand the initiative.
The Northball Athletics offers different basketball programs for youth and seniors in the community for only $25 per month. The programs are also powered by the United Scarborough Initiative, which offers various other initiatives to empower youth.
Speaking with Now Toronto on Monday, Northball Athletics’ co-founder Earl James said the program aims to offer a space for kids to be mentored and empowered amid a rise in cases of violence involving youth in the city.
“Right now the situation with young people is really dire, there’s a lot of crazy stuff happening right now. And especially in that area, there’s such a huge need for mentorship and for leadership and for a safe space for them to get off the streets and be part of some type of empowerment programming,” he said.
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The initiative has already offered training for hundreds of young ballers, with programs for children aged five to 19, summer camps, as well as activities directed to seniors. All the programs are offered at Northball Athletics’ office in Scarborough near McCowan Rd. and Sheppard Ave. E.
According to James, it takes a total of $180,000 a year to run the program with most of it covering the high rental costs for the basketball court, which he and his partner Iyan Kulendran sometimes have to cover out of their own pockets.
“Part of the problem we have is things are just too expensive, and so these kids can’t participate in things, right? And so even though economically, one can look at it and go like, ‘Well, it doesn’t make any economic sense,’ but the cause, the mission, demands that,” James said.
The co-founders say the program makes a big difference in the life of enrolled participants, keeping them off the streets and offering an accessible and healthy space for them to play.
The initiative is also currently partnering with local schools, encouraging kids to have more ambition and take their studies more seriously.
“I was talking to the vice principal and principal, and I said, ‘Hey, you’re frontline guys. You’re frontline workers. What do you see?’ And she’s like, ‘These kids lack ambition. They have no ambition. They have no drive. They come to class, they put their head on their desk, they’re not engaged.’ And that’s when I realized, we had to fight,” James added.
But with the high running costs and affordable prices, the owners had to make the decision to launch a crowdfunding campaign, which aims to raise money to keep the initiative going and add some more programs, including empowering talks aimed at parents.
According to the co-founders, although they have tried to file for government funding to keep the program going, they say it’s a competitive process and approvals take too long, prompting them to find funding elsewhere.
“When there’s a level of urgency and someone comes to you and says, ‘Hey, why don’t you go for this grant?’ It’s just words at a certain point, right? Because it’s you versus maybe about 50 to 100 organizations battling for the same grant,” Kulendran added.
The partners hope they can raise money to keep running and expand the program, and to raise awareness about their services for families in need.
Those who wish to contribute to the program can visit this link and leave a donation. Northball Athletics is also currently accepting new students into their programs.
