In 2005 The Salvation Army in Cobourg, Ont. joined with Canadian Tire to provide financially disadvantaged children the opportunity to participate in sports and recreational activities. This is the third year of the Jump Start program.

The goal is to encourage children to become active in the sport or recreational activity of their choice and increase their chances of living longer, healthier lives.

There are great individual and societal benefits to this program. Children have more positive experiences with peers and friends, higher self-esteem, greater likelihoold of perfoming better in school, increased future education expectations, better physical and mental health, decreased participation in negative behaviours and the urge to stay in school and participate in extracurricular activities.

Children ages four to 18 are assisted in either registering or purchasing equipment for their chosen activities.

To date the program has assisted 130 children in the Port Hope-Hamilton Township-Alnwick/Haldimand Township area.

This year Canadian Tire has given $5,322 to invest in kids and General Mills Canada Corporation has provided a $2,500 grant for the same purpose.