Who We Are
Grassroots Canada is a non-profit sports-based youth-development and educational organization based in the Greater Toronto Area. Our organization uses basketball as a “hook” to engage young men and women in the program, help them access high quality educational opportunities, and instill in them the values and life skills that will prepare them for success in life beyond sports.
Our mission is to educate and empower promising inner-city youth to be leaders, champions and student-athletes by developing the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life!
What We Do
Grassroots’ core program, College Bound, offers comprehensive middle school and high school educational programming and support services to approximately 150 students annually and takes place daily during after-school and weekend hours and throughout the day during the summer.
Grassroots is relentless in our support of our student-athletes and we serve as a valuable resource to their families. We involve parents and family members in the College Bound program through frequent check-ins by phone or email, home and school visits, throughout the year. We also support our families through crises by making referrals to social services and acting as a parallel family in times of need.
Our Programs
College Bound is comprised of four components that all work synergistically to help Grassroots student-athletes achieve success on and off the basketball court:
Basketball and Leadership Development: Grassroots fields 12 basketball teams that compete in tournaments throughout North America. The basketball program serves several purposes. First, it is a hook that keeps participants engaged in our academic programming. Second, the basketball court is a classroom where leadership and life skills are developed. Third, because our teams travel to tournaments in cities throughout the North America, the basketball program exposes participants to educational opportunities and new people, places and experiences.
Academic Support: All College Bound students benefit from a variety of regular academic enrichment programs, including general/subject specific academic instruction and tutoring and life skills development.
High School Assist: Helps sixth through eighth grade student-athletes succeed in middle school and leverage that success to gain admission to an excellent college preparatory high school. HS Assist offers academic instruction/tutoring, homework help, life skills development and test preparation for sixth through eighth graders.
College Assist: Provides our high school student-athletes with the individual support necessary to be successful in high school and to prepare for college. College Assist support includes SAT and other test preparation, high school counselling, application/financial aid workshops, college visits and NCAA eligibility and recruiting guidance (if applicable).
By The Numbers
Since 2002, Grassroots has maintained a 100% high school graduation rate.
Grassroots graduates have maintained a 96% college matriculation rate
Over 415 men’s alums and 120 women’s alums have received full scholarships to attend post-secondary institutions both in Canada and the U.S.
200+ Grassroots student-athletes have been placed in private high schools in Toronto and throughout North America.
$48 Million estimated in total scholarship and financial aid dollars have been awarded to Grassroots student-athletes from private high schools and top tier colleges.
Ways To Get Involved
MAKE A DONATION
Support our College Bound student-athletes by making a one-time gift or becoming a monthly sustainer.
SPONSOR A TEAM
Team Sponsorship is a wonderful way to directly impact an entire team of Grassroots student-athletes.