Flames' Mangiapane launches community program to help underserved youth
The Calgary Flames announced on Tuesday afternoon that forward Andrew Mangiapane and his wife, Claudia, have launched a new community program named Mange’s Breadsticks.
The program is aimed to support the Youth Centres of Calgary in Ogden and will provide youth at the centre the ability to learn the fundamentals of hockey.
“Our vision is to play a role in breaking down barriers in the game of hockey and supporting kids who are told they can’t, they don’t have access, or that hockey is too expensive,” said Mangiapane. “Hockey should be available to everyone who loves the game or wants to learn. Calgary has given so much to Claudia and I, and we want to show our love back to this supportive community and help all the underdogs out there play the game we love so much.”
Both Mangiapane and Claudia have provided funding for the program, while the Calgary Flames Foundation and the Calgary Italian Open Society have matched 100 percent. The funds will be directed to the Youth Centres of Calgary in Ogden to help provide snacks and hot meals for those in attendance.
“Thousands of athletic Calgary kids live in poverty and chaos and lack what they need to thrive in school, in the playground, and in life. They do not have access to organized hockey and to learn the love of the game that many of their peers enjoy,” said Jane Wachowich, executive director of Youth Centres of Calgary. “We also know that the game of hockey keeps vulnerable kids out of harm’s way, allows them to build confidence and drive, and opens doors to opportunities that can help them break the cycles of poverty in their own lives. Those are the kids that we see every day at Youth Centres of Calgary. Thanks to Andrew and Claudia we can give these kids a chance to experience the joy of the game. A levelling of the playing field. Thank you, Andrew and Claudia along with the Calgary Flames Foundation. You are making our kids’ dreams come true.”
The program, which will run from 3:30 to 5:30 pm every Monday and Wednesday from October through March, will see Mangiapane in attendance on October 25 to meet all in attendance.
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