They may have been booted in the first round of the playoffs, but the Winnipeg Jets — with an assist from United Way Winnipeg — are sharing a combined $100,000 with four local community organizations, thanks to the success of the traditional whiteout parties during home playoff games.
The club’s owners, True North Sports + Entertainment, announced Wednesday that they were topping up their annual fundraising effort to provide $25,000 each to organizations tackling homelessness, addictions and hunger: Siloam Mission, the Main Street Project, the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre and N’Dinewemak – Our Relatives’ Place.
“The original Winnipeg Jets whiteout is an exciting part of my personal hockey story and it’s exciting to see that this tradition not only lives on but has taken on new significance within our community,” current Jets head coach Scott Arniel said.
“With these funds being put to very important work across and for our downtown community, it’s an honour to know the impacts of what the Jets do on the ice can be felt beyond our rink and beyond the playoffs themselves.”
Since partnering with United Way Winnipeg in 2019, the club said a total of more than $312,000 has gone back into important downtown community agencies.
“Winnipeggers rally around their city like no other fans in the country,” United Way Winnipeg’s Michael Richardson said.
“They take care of each other—and the money raised at the whiteout parties is an amazing example of that.
“These funds will make a significant impact on Winnipeggers by supporting the life-saving work being done every day by four community organizations — both in our community, and for our community.”
According to the team, more than 170,000 fans have attended whiteout street parties since the current incarnation of the Jets brought back the tradition, long associated with Winnipeg’s previous NHL franchise.