Head Strong Is A Finalist In The Aviva Community Fund

Head Strong in partnership with Zehr Insurance Brokers Limited has made it through to the finals in the Aviva Community Fund to receive $35,000 that will benefit the Brain Injury Association of Canada’s Bursary Fund – assisting brain injury survivors with costs associated with post-secondary education.

Head Strong, a program dedicated to providing awareness and funding for brain injury was created in March of 2011 by Canadian
Hockey League Defenseman Ben Fanelli and the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club. Ben suffered a head injury in 2009 that changed his life and because of this he realized the need for a program such as Head Strong.

Fanelli and the Rangers would like to thank all those who voted in the Aviva Community Fund to make the final round possible.

It is the mandate of the Brain Injury Association of Canada to improve the quality of life for all Canadians affected by acquired Brain Injury and promote its prevention. In 2008 the BIAC (Brain Injury Association of Canada) created a bursary fund. The fund is managed and decided upon by a committee made up of three BIAC board members with specific background in awarding educational funding. The BIAC Bursary Program was intended to assist students living with an acquired brain injury to pursue educational opportunities in English or French post secondary institutions or apprenticeship/trades programs.  Last year this program was unable to assist any of the more than 25 applicants as there was no funding available.

The goal of $35,000 for the BIAC Bursary Program will provide 10 bursaries of $3,500 (English and/or French). This is an increase from the current two $2,000 bursaries (English and French) that are offered and provide the ability to be able to help a higher percentage of applicants who need help with their educational costs.

The Aviva Community Fund donates $1 million dollars to multiple organizations annually. Now in the finals a panel will score the top 30 ideas, rank them and start awarding funding. The winners will be announced by the Aviva Community Fund on January 25th.

For more information visit avivacommunityfund.org.

THANK YOU TO OUR OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS OF HEAD STRONG