Ottawa BlackJacks Announce Partnership with Kids Up Front Ottawa

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday a partnership with Kids Up Front Ottawa and donated hundreds of tickets that will be redistributed to deserving children and youth in the Ottawa area.

The Ottawa BlackJacks donated one ticket for each 2020 season seat members who retained their seating for the 2021 season. Jevohn Shepherd, the team’s newly appointed General Manager, matched the donation to reach a total of more than a thousand tickets donated to Kids Up Front Ottawa.

Kids up Front’s innovative program redistributes donated tickets fairly and efficiently through their partnerships with local child-serving charitable agencies, with the goal of fostering feelings of inclusion and belonging in the community, which aligns with the BlackJacks mission to support the Ottawa/Gatineau community through various initiatives targeting the youth.



The partnership will also allow BlackJacks ticket holders and partners to purchase and donate tickets to the Kids Up Front program. The Ottawa BlackJacks game schedule isn’t released yet, but the 2021 CEBL season is set to begin in early May and run through mid-August. For more information on the Kids Up Front program, visit: https://www.kidsupfrontottawa.com/. To purchase tickets, contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership services team directly at (613) 690-0519, by email at [email protected] or visit www.theblackjacks.ca.

Quotes:

“It’s all about the community. I believe this partnership is a great way for our organization to give back to the Ottawa/Gatineau youth and to provide them with an opportunity to create long-lasting memories. It takes one moment, one basketball game to inspire and motivate a child to keep going and to reach for the stars.”

- Jevohn Shepherd

General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club

"We couldn't be more excited to partner with the Ottawa BlackJacks. With the increasing popularity of basketball in Canada, we have a huge demand from children across the city. This partnership will allow us to share the excitement of CEBL basketball with hundreds of BlackJacks fans, providing enriching family experiences for our network of Partner Agencies. Our sincerest thanks to the BlackJacks Organization and General Manager Jevohn Shepherd for their community support."

- Isabelle Gagnon

Chair, Kids Up Front Ottawa

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About the Ottawa BlackJacks

The first expansion franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Ottawa BlackJacks will showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. In its inaugural campaign, the BlackJacks earned a semifinal appearance at the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. Ottawa will play its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. For more information visit www.theblackjacks.ca.

About Kids Up Front

Kids Up Front Ottawa provides experiences to deserving children and youth in the Ottawa area. We believe that all kids should have access to enriching experiences like arts, culture, and sporting events. Attendance at events like these helps to foster feelings of inclusion and belonging in the children we support. Our innovative program redistributes donated tickets fairly and efficiently through our partnerships with local child-serving charitable agencies. We currently partner with 111 child-serving groups, who offer programs and services to deserving children and youth in the National Capital Region. Visit Kids Up Front Ottawa online at: https://www.kidsupfrontottawa.com/

Social Media Ottawa BlackJacks

Facebook: /OttawaBlackJacks

Twitter: @Ott_Blackjacks

Instagram: ottawablackjacks

Social Media Kids Up Front

Facebook: /kidsupfrontott

Twitter: @kidsupfrontott

Instagram: @kidsupfrontott

Contact Ottawa BlackJacks

Marika Guérin

Manager, Communications and Community

Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club

[email protected]

Contact Kids Up Front

Michael Harris

Program Coordinator, Kids Up Front Ottawa

[email protected]