We're Featured on Durham Region! | FIFA grant will help Ignite Durham support local students in need

Ignite Durham Learning Foundation (IDLF) has been globally recognized for its work to support local students.

IDLF was recently chosen as one of 58 global organizations to receive grant support from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to expand access to quality education and sports for children in underserved communities.

“Their work represents the lasting legacy the FIFA World Cup 2026 will leave: expanding access to education and creating opportunities for over 400,000 children worldwide,” said Michael Shendrick, co-founder and chief government relations officer for Global Citizen.

Shendrick said the chosen organizations are “transforming children’s lives in communities around the world.”

That includes Durham, where the IDLF will receive a grant of more than $200,000.

“It’s absolutely incredible to have a global organization like FIFA recognize that the work happening here in Durham is incredibly meaningful,” said Stacey Lepine-Fisher, executive director of IDLF.

“It tells everyone locally that there are solutions to childhood poverty and that people believe in education equity.”

The organization supports students with a variety of programs, including:

• school snack and nutrition programs

• food pantries

• summer food programs

• clothing and personal hygiene programs

• holiday drives

• Operation Backpack, which is running now and collects backpacks and school supplies for Durham District School Board students.

IDLF works in partnership with multiple organizations on Operation Backpack and also provides running shoes for students to help ease the expense of back to school.

“The start up to school is so expensive for families, people don’

t really think of all of the fees, from course fees in high school to fees if you want to join a sports team, the cost of agendas, et cetera,” said Lepine-Fisher.

“For families experiencing poverty, that means they will have to make a choice. This will help us to remove those barriers so we can now make sure they don’t have to make a choice between paying rent or putting food on the table.”

Lepine-Fisher said the grant money will be used across multiple programs where needed. The organization works in close partnership with area educators to identify and address needs within school communities.

“We believe the people who hold the relationships with the students and families are best to identify the needs,” said Lepine-Fisher.

“Our educators are truly phenomenal, they understand the kids and families better than anyone. So, if they notice one day a kid just has a banana for lunch, and the next day it’s a pizza crust, they can come in and say, ‘I noticed you didn’t have much for lunch, can I help you with that?’, and that conversation lands a lot easier when you have that established relationship. Then we can come in and facilitate that.”

The need also doesn’t stop when school lets out. Lepine-Fisher said the organization has been receiving requests from summer school staff and runs a summer food program every year to ensure students are supported outside of the classroom as well.

“Needs are actually amplified a bit more in the summer because the schools are closed and the educators and principals who have those relationships with the families may not be there to meet those needs,” Lepine-Fisher said.

“We have summer school staff reaching out to say, ‘We don’t know this family well, but here’s what we’re seeing, can you help?’ The community still needs us.”

The organization supports up to 82,000 students across the Durham District School Board’s 141 schools and focuses on key categories including food support, clothing and footwear, economic support, transportation, school supplies and emergency support.

“These funds will help us to do more,” Lepine-Fisher said of the grant. “Anything that’s going to be a barrier for students and their ability to thrive in their education journey, that’s what these funds will be used for.”

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