TORONTO – Bell and the Toronto Raptors basketball team announced Thursday they are teaming up for a three-year partnership in which they will provide financial grants to and recognize organizations that play a key role in welcoming newcomers to Canada through the sport.
The Bell Inbound Assist program, which is supported by MLSE Foundation – the charity of the Raptors – will see community organizations nominated by Canadians for making a positive difference in the lives of the new Canadians.
Three community organization finalists will be selected from these nominations. They will then have their stories shared across the social media channels of Bell and the Raptors so Canadians can vote on who should receive the $100,000 grant to further their work in the community. The remaining two organizations will receive a $10,000 Bell grant.
The nomination period opened today and will close on December 18.
“Investing into the communities we serve to make a positive impact is core to our business,” Devorah Lithwick, Bell’s senior vice president and chief brand officer, said in a press release. “We’re excited to partner with the Toronto Raptors to recognize and offer financial support to organizations across the country working to ensure newcomers to Canada have access to safe, inclusive and equitable spaces that foster a sense of community and belonging through sport.”
The program is the latest move by Bell to build brand loyalty among new Canadians, a segment the telecoms are ferociously competing for to grow their market share.
This summer, Bell announced it was partnering with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to provide new immigrants with special offers on purchases of the telecom’s services.
Before that, the telecom partnered with Air Canada to provide newcomers and visitors to Canada with complementary SIM cards on certain inbound international flights so they can connect to cellular services when they get on the ground in Canada.
Photo courtesy of Bell.
