In the three short years Leandra Murphy has held the position of coordinator in the Boston Bruins Foundation, she has seen the organization grow in a manner she never expected.
The non-profit foundation teams up with other organizations that focus on promoting health, wellness, learning and athletics.
It was on the smaller end 16 years ago, and now the organization is raising upwards of five to six million dollars a year, making it one of the top tier fundraising groups in Massachusetts, Murphy said.
“It’s so cool to see everything go into play,” Murphy said. “Everyone loves it and it’s so fun. The future is very bright for this organization.”
The foundation recently broke a U.S. record for most sales in a 50/50 drawing. The raffle was in support of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, which lost 15 people, including both hockey players and coaches, in a bus crash.
“The hockey community’s a close-knit group of people that allowed that drawing to become a record breaking support effort,” Murphy said.
As part of its commitment to the community, the foundation introduced the B-Fit program three years ago. A former Bruins strength coach kickstarted the B-Fit program, which includes going into schools to help out with health and overall well-being.
Since its creation in 2003, the Boston Bruins Foundation has raised more than $30 million. This past year, the Foundation donated more than $3 million to 150 nonprofit charities. Its major partner is Special Olympics Massachusetts, which recently received a million dollars from the organization.
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a Special Olympics athlete has been chosen to wave a flag during the opening ceremony.
“To be associated with a group such as the Special Olympics has been great to us. It’s been a great partnership,” she said.
The foundation has not only impacted families and civilians across New England, but has also allowed the players on the team to demonstrate their presence in the community. To accomplish this, they are encouraged to be involved in charitable work. One example is for every goal Brad Marchand scores, money gets donated to the charity Notice Ability, a dyslexia program.
The foundation is also the ringleader of many events that are held for fundraising purposes. The spread of hockey has greatly impacted fans wanting a taste of the sports culture to fans all across the world.
“It’s a goal the NHL is trying to establish,” Murphy said, explaining that the league has started a grow-the-game campaign not just with the Bruins but all clubs.
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