The Evidence

Numbers Don't Lie.
Neither Do We.

Our model is built on decades of peer-reviewed research. Here is the data behind the crisis, the evidence behind our programs, and the proof that what we do works.

The Crisis in Numbers

The Landscape in Toronto & the GTA

25.3%
Toronto child poverty rate — highest of any Canadian city with 500K+ population
Campaign 2000 & Social Planning Toronto, 2024
117,890
children living in poverty in Toronto — the highest number on record
Social Planning Toronto, 2024
51%
of Ontario students report moderate-to-serious psychological distress — doubled in a decade
CAMH OSDUHS 2023
161%
increase in youth firearm arrests in Toronto over a recent multi-year period
Toronto Police Service, August 2024
1,541
youth experiencing homelessness in Toronto on any given night
City of Toronto Street Needs Assessment, 2024
50%
of urban youth report strong community belonging — vs 59% in rural areas
Statistics Canada, 2021–2024
The Participation Gap

Who Gets to Play — and Who Doesn't

Income is the single greatest predictor of whether a child plays organized sport in Canada. This gap is why we exist.

Families earning $75,000+/year
70%
Families below the poverty line
31%
Toronto children in poverty
25.3%
Toronto Centre ward (highest need)
36.6%

Sources: Aspen Institute — Project Play / Campaign 2000 & Social Planning Toronto, 2024

What the Research Shows

Sport & Mentorship. Proven Impact.

This is the body of evidence our programs are built on. Not cherry-picked — comprehensive, peer-reviewed, and current.

All 21
Domains
Team Sport Participation Improves Every Mental Health Domain Measured
A landmark CAMH study (2023) analyzed 4,975 children aged 9–10 and found that those participating in non-contact or team sports had fewer attention problems, fewer thought problems, fewer withdrawn and depressed symptoms, and fewer rule-breaking behaviours — across all 21 mental health categories examined, even when accounting for genetic risk factors for mental illness.
CAMH / Psychiatry Research — Misztal & Felsky, November 2023 — n=4,975
51%
In Distress
Ontario Youth Mental Health Has Reached Crisis Levels
The 2023 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), administered to 10,145 students across 235 schools, found more than half of Ontario students reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. One in three students rated their ability to cope as fair or poor. One in five had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.
CAMH OSDUHS 2023 — Released August 21, 2024 — n=10,145
$56K
Lifetime
Mentored Youth Earn Dramatically More Over Their Lifetime
A landmark 2025 BBBS study re-analyzing 30 years of data found mentored youth earn 15% more in early adulthood and a projected $56,000 more over their lifetime. Crucially, the study found mentorship can reduce up to two-thirds of the long-term socioeconomic disadvantage associated with growing up in poverty — making it one of the most cost-effective social investments available.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America — 30-Year Longitudinal Study, 2025
132K
Youth Studied
Intentional Program Design — Not Just Sport — Reduces Crime Risk
A meta-analytic review of 51 studies involving 132,366 adolescents clarifies what the research actually shows: unstructured sport alone does not reduce delinquency. But intentionally structured sport programs — built around supervision, prosocial relationships, clear expectations, and skill development — create the specific conditions the criminology literature consistently links to reduced criminal risk.
Office of Justice Programs / Campbell Collaboration — Meta-Analytic Review, 51 studies, n=132,366
45%
vs 29%
Mentored Youth Are Dramatically More Likely to Pursue Post-Secondary Education
According to the National Mentoring Partnership's landmark report: 45% of at-risk youth with an adult mentor enrolled in higher education, versus only 29% of their unmentored peers — a 16-percentage-point gap that compounds over a lifetime. The 2026 Frontiers in Education systematic review confirms these outcomes across school functioning, psychological well-being, social functioning, and behavioural conduct.
MENTOR — The Mentoring Effect, 2014 / Frontiers in Education Systematic Review, 2026
86%
vs 59%
Belonging Is a Measurable Mental Health Intervention
Statistics Canada data (2021–2024) found that 86% of youth with a strong sense of community belonging reported positive mental health — compared to only 59% with weaker belonging. A 27-point gap, directly addressable through team sport programs intentionally designed to build peer bonds, identity, and connection to community. Only 50% of urban Canadian youth currently report strong community belonging.
Statistics Canada — Sense of Belonging Among Youth, 2021–2024
The Belonging Gap

Urban Youth Are Measurably Disconnected.

And disconnection has a direct, measurable cost to mental health. This is what our Community Development program addresses.

50%
Urban youth with strong community belonging
9 points below rural peers
86%
Youth with strong belonging who report positive mental health
vs 59% with weak belonging — a 27-point gap

Statistics Canada — Sense of Belonging Among Youth, 2021–2024

Our Commitment to Impact

As We Grow, So Will Our Reporting.

We are a new organization — founded in 2024, charitable status in 2025. Our impact reporting will grow as our programs do. We are committed to publishing measurable outcomes, not just stories.

What we can report today: 100% program-focused funding, $0 cost to youth served, and a model built on 37+ peer-reviewed sources. As we scale, we will publish youth served, program completion rates, mentor retention data, and longitudinal outcomes.

Transparency & Governance
What We Measure & Report
Youth served per program per quarter
Program completion and retention rates
Mentor-youth match duration and quality
Geographic reach (wards, neighbourhoods)
Annual financial reports and budget breakdowns
Youth leadership progression (coming soon)

The Evidence Is Clear. Now It's Time to Act.

Every dollar you give is backed by evidence, tracked with accountability, and delivered directly to youth who need it most.

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