ACTIVE SESSION: Start2Finish

5 minutes + 5 times a day = A happy brain!

Start2Finish was founded in 2000 by Brian Warren — a former CFL Grey Cup champion and inner-city teacher who witnessed firsthand the devastating impact poverty has on children's learning and health. Driven by the conviction that "There are no poor minds, only poor opportunities," Brian set out to give equity-deserving youth a voice by equipping them with the skills and opportunities they need to reach their potential.

More than two decades later, that founding belief still drives everything we do. Our work is built on the understanding that literacy, mentorship, and active living are the building blocks for lifelong well-being and success — and that every child, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the chance to thrive physically, mentally, emotionally, and academically.

Start2Finish's policy goal is to provide access to literacy enrichment and well-being supports for 70% of elementary school-aged children living in poverty and deprivation within Canadian school boards and after-school programs over the next decade — increasing access by 50%.