Mississauga.ca - Residents - Jerry Love Children's Fund

Jerry Love

Administered by Mississauga Recreation & Parks, the Jerry Love fund raises thousands of dollars each year to help hundreds of children enjoy the benefits of participating in recreation programs.
The funds are raised through the support of individuals, city staff, local business, service clubs, community groups, and other funding bodies such as the Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund.

All donors to the fund share a belief in the value of recreation and in the need to ensure that no young person is deprived of it. These donors are the only source of revenue for the fund. The more they give, the more children the fund is able to assist.

Donors will be happy to know that 100% of their contributions, every dollar, goes towards program registrations, with the City covering all administration costs. Donations of $20.00 and up are also tax deducible and donors receive a receipt for income tax purposes.

Fund background
Kids To Jerry Love, Mississauga's former Director of Recreation, making recreation opportunities available to all of the community's children was literally a labour of love.

Before retiring in 1991, Jerry spent 35 years offering Mississauga's children the recreation programs that best met their physical and social needs. He also realized that many families, due to financial constraints, couldn't afford to enrol their children in municipally operated recreation programs.

Jerry was a major advocate behind a charitable fund that let children, despite their family finances, participate in the City's wide range of recreation programs. When Jerry retired, Mayor Hazel McCallion honoured his efforts by renaming the fund after him: the Jerry Love Children's Fund, a truly appropriate designation.

How to make a donation
Please make donations payable to City of Mississauga - Jerry Love Children's Fund, Mississauga Recreation and Parks, 9th Floor, 201 City Centre Drive, Mississauga Ontario, L5B 3C1.

NEW!!! Now you can make a secure online donation to the Jerry Love Children's Fund. Click on the button below to Donate.

How to apply
All children's recreation programs that are operated by Mississauga Recreation and Parks are eligible for subsidy. The subsidization program is restricted to residents of Mississauga 15 years of age and under. Subsidy does not include semi private or private lessons.
Eligible children may receive a subsidy for 1 program OR 1 session of camp per calendar year. The maximum amount of subsidy for any program or session is $160. Since funds are limited the agency or parent/guardian will be required to pay the difference for any program exceeding the $140 maximum. Subsidy does not include extra costs associated with program.
In order for a child to be approved for a program subsidy, one of the following referral documents must be received by the Mississauga Recreation and Parks Customer Service Centre along with the appropriate registration form and any additional fees required to equal the cost of the program:

a. "Referral for Subsidy" Qualified staff from a Social Service Agency such as Community Living Mississauga (CLM), the Children's Aid Society complete a subsidy form for registered clients with that agency who they deem to have financial hardship. The worker is not required to disclose any financial details (i.e. annual income) of the family on the referral form but is indicating that the family is in need of financial assistance in order for their child to participate. The form must be completed for all programs including aquatic programs and Fitness memberships and must be sent with the appropriate program Recreation and Parks registration forms.

b. A photocopy of monthly "Statement of Assistance"
Qualified staff from a Social Service Agency such as Community Living Mississauga (CLM), the Children's Aid Society complete a subsidy form for registered clients with that agency who they deem to have financial hardship. The worker is not required to disclose any financial details (i.e. annual income) of the family on the referral form but is indicating that the family is in need of financial assistance in order for their child to participate. The form must be completed for all programs including aquatic programs and Fitness memberships and must be sent with the appropriate program Recreation and Parks registration forms.

Please note that recreation programs are filled on a first come, first served basis, so we encourage you to submit requests early.