Welcome to Kids Up Front Foundation

Across Canada, Kids Up Front creates fun and new experiences for kids, by forwarding your unused tickets. If you Can't Use Your Tickets, donate them to us and we'll make sure they reach the thousands of kids who could really benefit from them. Together, we're helping to heal, bond and unite.

Over 500,000 once-in-a-lifetime experiences distributed
to kids across Canada!

NATIONAL MEDIA RELEASE
Unused Ticket Collecting Charity Gains Momentum

Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver:  In the last eight years, Kids Up Front has collected over 400,000 unused tickets for concerts, sporting events, and local plays, and redistributed them to hundreds of charities across Canada that work with underprivileged kids.   Kids Up Front’s growth and increasing recognition is based on the simple concept that people are giving away something that they already have.  

“Everyone that I tell about our cause gets it right away.  They love the idea and want to contribute,” says Cindy Graves, Executive Director of Kids Up Front in Vancouver.  “A lot of people don’t necessarily have the means to donate to charity regularly, but this makes it easy for anyone to give.”

Although event organizations and corporations donate the most tickets to Kids Up Front, individuals that send in unusable tickets is the fastest growing segment.  The tickets are collected at the four offices across Canada, and redistributed to charities that serve socially and financially-challenged children.   “We are growing because people see the need to give children opportunities to discover and dream,” Cindy said.  “And a majority of these kids lead very isolated lives.”  

The charity focuses on supporting all types of kids.   Lindsay Oughtred, who left her 10 year high school teacher career to run Kids Up Front in Toronto, has a goal to fill every wheelchair accessible seat for every event in Toronto.  “It’s sad that wheelchair accessible seats remain empty at most events,” Lindsay said.  “We are convinced that if more of the public knew they could send in unusable tickets, they would love to provide a rare experience for kids who have much less opportunity in life.”

Kids Up Front’s slogan is ‘One little ticket, one big lift’, and Kari Scarlett, who took over as the Executive Director of the Calgary office in January says that it’s not only the kids that are impacted.   “I still get goose bumps when I think about the 15 year old boy we were able to send to the Juno Awards this year.   He lives in a group home, and really wanted to go to the Junos.” Kari said.   “He told us afterword that going to the Junos made him feel ‘loved by the entire world.’   Words like that make this all worth-while,”

Kids Up Front was founded by Calgary businessman John Dalziel, who wanted to fill the empty seats he saw at sports events, theatrical productions and concerts with kids and families who wouldn’t normally have the chance to attend.   “Giving kids exposure to great theatre, music and sports is an investment in their futures as well as a fun day out,” John said. 

To contact the region closest to you, click on the kids above.

THANK YOU!
(updated June 9, 2009)