Credit Slab Cares, the flagship charitable initiative of NuLife Credit and its affiliated companies, has once again teamed up with Kids up Front, a charitable organization dedicated to giving underprivileged and deserving kids the chance to see live events. It is a team-up that’s destined to win more than games; it’ll also win the hearts of the kids who get to attend the events.

Sheldon Wolf, the director of the Credit Slab Cares program and long-time Calgary Flames fan has donated seats to multiple games during the 2015-2016 season to the Kids up Front organization, giving underprivileged children a once in a lifetime chance to see the Calgary Flames in action on home ice. Up front is literally where the children get to sit since Credit Slab Cares provides the seats which happen to be in the front row.

Started in late 2015, the Credit Slab Cares program was created by Credit Slab and NuLife CEO Sheldon Wolf to raise awareness for charitable causes and to encourage charitable participation from his companies and the corporate community at large. Credit Slab Cares charitable drives include volunteer time with Inn from the Cold, donations to animal causes such as the Little Mutts Society and the Calgary Humane Society, food donations to the Calgary Food Bank, the adopt-a-family program which helps families hit hard with job loss and unforeseen circumstances get through tough times with donations of food and basic needs, and much more. Their latest program, designed to help veterans of the Canadian Armed forces hit financially by hard times, offered our veterans pro bono services for their credit repair and credit improvement programs.

But now it’s the kids turn to get boost from Credit Slab Cares as company president Sheldon Wolf donated front row tickets to the Kids up Front organization so that underprivileged children can see their favorite NHL stars play live and up close during Calgary Flames home games. So close that they’ll have the best seats in the stadium! They’ll be seated next to the visitor’s bench, first row, to watch Calgary’s star players light up the lamp.

As a long-time fan of the Flames, Sheldon wanted to share the experience of a live Flames game with deserving kids by giving them the best spot to watch all the action. And as an experienced philanthropist Sheldon found his passion for the Calgary Flames and his desire to help others was a winning formula to bring smiles and help inspire future champions.

Kids up Front was founded by former Calgary businessman John Dalziel, whom got the idea when attending an event at the Calgary Saddledome and seeing empty seats. His tickets were complimentary, and it occurred to him that many of the vacant seats were also complimentary seating bought up by businesses and organizations, but were sadly being unused. With the sudden idea that those seats would be better used by families in need to let underprivileged children see a world class sporting event, he founded the Kids up Front charity with the expressed goal of putting those unused seats to use, getting the corporate community to better use their gratuity tickets and of course bringing kids to live events that they normally would not be able to attend due to circumstances beyond their control.

With chapters in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton and new chapters being developed in Ottawa and Halifax, the Kids up Front organization has, since its founding in 1999, provided over one million tickets to deserving children and families for arts, culture, sporting and recreational events. With over 30,000 tickets per year distributed and a total approximate value of tickets distributed at 13 million over the years, Kids up Front is no small charity. Kids up Front has also attracted such national sponsors as Corus Entertainment, CIBC and TD Financial, while garnering local partnerships with local businesses. Sports teams like the BC Lions and the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks of the NHL, The Calgary Hitmen and the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, and much more have also supported this worthwhile cause. They also team up with local charities and philanthropic organizations to help find deserving children in need of a ticket to a local event.

Children shouldn’t be denied the chance to see the big game because it’s out of their reach or too expensive. For many it would be a once in a lifetime chance. Thanks to Sheldon Wolf’s generosity through Credit Slab Cares and the Kids up Front organization, now these kids have that once in a lifetime chance to see their hometown heroes play.