Kitchener Rangers partner with Sun Life, Kids Help Phone as official helmet sponsor
Partnership will bring awareness to Kids Help Phone’s services and promote youth mental health
Kitchener, Ont. (September 27, 2022) – The Kitchener Rangers, in partnership with Sun Life, are excited to announce that Kids Help Phone will be the official helmet decal sponsor of the Kitchener Rangers for the 2022-23 season.
As part of their renewed strategic partnership with the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club, Sun Life has also secured the inaugural helmet branding rights for the Kitchener Rangers as part of a one-year pilot program being introduced by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In support of Sun Life’s commitment to youth mental health in Canada, they have donated the helmet decal to Kids Help Phone.
“We are proud to team up with the Kitchener Rangers and Kids Help Phone to raise awareness for youth mental health,” said Chris Hewitt, Vice President and Canada Chief Marketing Officer, Sun Life. “At Sun Life, we are committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, and empowering Canadians to live healthier lives. Through this unique partnership, we are using the platform and power of sport to create space for young Canadians to talk about mental health, and helping make a positive difference for future generations.”
Kids Help Phone’s logo will be featured on both sides of all helmets that the Kitchener Rangers wear throughout the season. There will be significant exposure for Kids Help Phone throughout the season, including just under 7,000 fans per home game at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, totaling over 200,000 fans in attendance each season, in addition to road contests. The helmet decal will also be seen on televisions and screens, as all of the Rangers’ 68 games are televised locally on Rogers TV and across the province of Ontario. Additionally, all marketing material featuring Rangers’ players will prominently feature the Kids Help Phone logo this season.
“We could not be more grateful to Sun Life for their continued partnership and support of their progressive community initiatives,” said Joe Birch, Kitchener Rangers Chief Operating Officer. “Involvement and support of our community is our top priority and when Sun Life came to us with the action to promote Kids Help Phone as the official helmet decal sponsor of the Kitchener Rangers to raise awareness for youth mental health, we felt it was the perfect partnership.”
“Kids Help Phone is excited to be partnering with the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club and Sun Life for the 2022-23 season,” said Jenny Yuen, Senior Vice President, National Partnerships & Government Relations at Kids Help Phone. “It is an honour for Kids Help Phone to be selected for the inaugural year of this initiative and it will make strides in raising awareness of youth well-being. Our thanks to Sun Life for elevating their commitment to communities by helping us let young people know that we are a safe and trusted space, here to help with any problem, big or small, or when you just need to talk.”
The Kids Help Phone logo will debut at the Kitchener Rangers’ Opening Night this Friday, September 30 when Kitchener hosts the Sarnia Sting to kick off the Rangers’ 60th anniversary season.
Sun Life in the Community:
Sun Life is committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life. Community wellness is an important part of its sustainability commitment. By actively supporting the communities in which Sun Life lives and works, the organization can help build a positive environment for Clients, employees, advisors, and shareholders. Its philanthropic support focuses on health, with an emphasis on diabetes awareness, prevention, and care initiatives. Mental health is also a key priority, with support for programs and organizations with an emphasis on building resilience and coping skills.
Sun Life also partners with sports properties in key markets to further its commitment to healthy and active living. Its employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering more than 16,000 hours each year and contribute to making life brighter for individuals and families across Canada. Learn more about Sun Life in the community.
About Kids Help Phone:
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support in English and French to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to talk over phone or through text or in self-directed supports in any moment of crisis or need. Through our digital transformation, we envision a future where every person in Canada is able to get the support they need, when they need it most, however they need it. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca.
About the Kitchener Rangers:
The Kitchener Rangers are widely regarded as one of the most prominent and successful junior hockey franchises in the world, producing over 180 players and coaches into the NHL since the club’s beginning 60 years ago in 1963. The Rangers are proud members of the 20-team Ontario Hockey League (OHL), which is one of three Major-Junior “A” leagues that constitute the 60-team Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The Rangers are based out of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and average a near capacity crowd of just under 7,000 fans per home game, totaling over 200,000 fans in attendance each season. A non-profit organization, the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club takes pride in supporting the local community, making financial contributions in excess of $15 million over the last 10 seasons. Visit KitchenerRangers.com.
Media Contacts:
Michael Torres
Associate Vice President, Strategic Communications
Kids Help Phone
416-581-8963
[email protected]
Dominic Hennig
Senior Director, Broadcasting, Communications & Hockey Operations
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
519-497-9342
[email protected]
Katherine Green
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sun Life
548-255-1296
[email protected]
