The Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation and Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) have announced a new initiative to increase accessibility and remove barriers to sports for central Ohio youth and families. LPF gives kids in under-resourced communities the opportunity to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of youth sports participation through the donation of used and excess sporting equipment to programs and schools serving low-income communities. The mission of LPF aligns with the Blue Jackets Foundation and team mission to eliminate barriers of entry to the sport of hockey, help kids remain active, and grow the game.

Last fall, the Foundation, with the support of the team’s Official Sustainability Partner Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), granted $25,000 to LPF to develop and produce five, co-branded bins to be used as equipment collections at central Ohio sports facilities.

“We are extremely thrilled to be partnering with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Advanced Drainage Systems to not only keep hockey gear out of the landfill but to make sure it ends up in the hands of a young aspiring hockey player,” said LPF Founder and Executive Director Max Levitt. “Hockey gear is both expensive and difficult to recycle. These bins will be an incredibly effective way to make sure gear ends up in the hands of a child who cannot otherwise afford the equipment needed to experience everything the game of hockey has to offer.”

The initiative is rooted in the Aspen Institute’s 2021 report, State of Play Central Ohio, which highlighted a lack of access to equipment as a major barrier preventing kids from participating in sports. The report recommended establishing a city-wide equipment collection program, aligning with the Blue Jackets Foundation’s mission.

“This investment reinforces our dedication to fostering the growth of hockey and ensuring our community’s children remain active and safe. We are excited to welcome Leveling the Playing Field to Columbus and partner with them to provide kids with access to sports equipment. Thanks to the generosity of ADS, the Blue Jackets Foundation continues to make significant strides in our grant-making efforts to support the health and wellness of children in our community.”

The bins will be located year-round at Liberty Township/Powell YMCA, OhioHealth Chiller Easton, OhioHealth Chiller Dublin, OhioHealth Chiller North and OhioHealth Ice Haus. They will officially “open” on Saturday, August 10 at 11 a.m. with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at the OhioHealth Chiller North in Lewis Center. The event is open to the public with attendees encouraged to bring items to donate for a chance to meet Blue Jackets’ goaltender Daniil Tarasov.

Hockey items donated through the collection bins will support the team’s annual Equipment Sale, in partnership with ADS. The event, held in September, allows families and individuals to buy hockey equipment at affordable prices with the proceeds reinvested in the local youth hockey community. With an anticipated increase in donated equipment, the team plans to host a second equipment sale later in the season. LPF will distribute all non-hockey equipment collected to schools and community organizations.

For more information about the Blue Jackets Foundation, visit BlueJackets.com/Foundation.