NHL Foundation U.S. awards grants to 5 organizations for 2025

The NHL Foundation U.S. has awarded grants to five organizations for fiscal 2025 to help strengthen communities and improve lives through the game of hockey.

The grants center on five core pillars at the heart of the foundation, the NHL’s primary strategic philanthropic vehicle in the United States: equal opportunity; Operation Line Shift (military and veteran support); youth development; health and well-being; and pathways to hockey.

“These five organizations represent the very best of what our game can do off the ice,” NHL Deputy Commissioner and NHL Foundation U.S. chairman Bill Daly said. “They’re creating healthier communities, opening doors for young people, and giving our military families the support they deserve. Each of these partners aligns with the values we hold as a League -- resilience, teamwork, and making the game more meaningful and accessible to all. The Board of Directors of the NHL Foundation U.S. has played an essential role in shaping this vision, and we’re proud to stand with organizations that deliver tangible results and lasting impact.”

NHL Foundation U.S. executive director Rob Wooley said the grant recipients reflect “real impact, measurable progress, and a commitment to serving those who need us the most.”

“Whether it’s leveling the playing field for kids in school, helping veterans find purpose through hockey, or expanding access to basic needs like food and mobility,” Wooley said, “these grantees are changing lives. We’re honored to back their work and help them grow.”

The grant recipients are:

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (equal opportunity)

The Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants Program funds community-based initiatives that increase independence and well-being for individuals living with paralysis. In 2024 alone, it awarded $3.3 million to 112 organizations focused on adaptive sports, peer mentorship, transportation access and accessible infrastructure. The NHL Foundation U.S. grant supports this work, advancing inclusion and mobility. In February 2025, the Reeve Foundation also partnered with the NHL Foundation U.S. for the inaugural Go Forward! event in Boston during the 4 Nations Face-Off. The event honored Christopher Reeve’s legacy as a passionate hockey fan and advocate for accessibility, raising funds to support adaptive sports, sled hockey and mobility initiatives nationwide.

“We're really excited that this gift validates our work and their (the NHL’s) support of our work,” Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation president and CEO Maggie Goldberg said. “This specific grant will support our national Paralysis Resource Center. We run the nation's only Paralysis Resource Center that's dedicated to all forms of paralysis and mobility impairment, not just spinal cord injury.

“We are able to provide resources, services, peer mentoring to people from all over the country who are experiencing paralysis. We don't just assist newly diagnosed or newly injured people. We find that a lot of the people that contact us who need help have been living with paralysis or have a family member living with paralysis for 20 or 30 years, because the journey changes. So we have a helpline staffed with information specialists, and their job is literally to answer questions about anything and everything related to paralysis, point you in the right direction.”

Warrior for Life Fund (Operation Line Shift)

Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Warrior for Life Fund serves more than 300 active-duty service members and veterans annually -- many of them Navy SEALs or medically retired personnel. Programs include sled hockey teams, developmental leagues and the Human Performance Center, which promotes physical wellness and cognitive recovery. The NHL Foundation U.S. grant strengthens these services and supports community-based events such as the Face Off for Heroes Memorial Game, co-hosted with the NHL and the NHL Alumni Association. Operation Line Shift, the foundation’s newest pillar, was formally approved by the foundation’s board of directors this year and reflects the NHL’s deepened commitment to supporting service members, veterans and their families through hockey-based wellness and transition programs.

"Through our partnership with the NHL, we are committed to helping those who have sacrificed for our country find healing and connection through hockey," Warrior for Life Fund president Ryan Croley said. "The NHL's commitment has been transformative. Their investment does more than sponsor events -- it fuels our mission to care for the wounds of war inside our hard-stuck communities. Thanks to their support, we can bring together Gold Star families, veterans and service members through powerful events and persistent presence that will have a lasting impact."

Playworks (youth development)

Playworks is a national nonprofit that helps kids build social-emotional skills and create inclusive school communities through structured play. In 2023-24, it reached over 50,000 students in more than 100 schools. The NHL Foundation U.S. grant supports the expansion of Playworks’ programming into high-need districts, ensuring more students benefit from safe, healthy, and inclusive recess and play environments.

Partnership for a Healthier America (health and well-being)

The Good Food for All initiative by Partnership for a Healthier America brings healthy produce to food-insecure families across the U.S., with over 1 million servings distributed and 85 percent of participants reporting healthier eating habits. The NHL Foundation U.S. grant helps scale this work to reach additional families with fresh food, nutritional education and community-driven solutions.

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (pathways to hockey)

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) provides mentorship, training and access to career-building opportunities for college students nationwide. In 2023-24, its career summit brought together over 700 students and more than 150 employers. The NHL Foundation U.S. grant directly supports SEO’s efforts to introduce students to career pathways in the hockey ecosystem, including roles in communications, marketing, analytics, community relations and team operations.