The PennZone

PHILADELPHIA - PennZone -- The National Lacrosse League (NLL) today announced the return and expansion of its "Every Child Matters" initiative. The multi-faceted platform brings awareness to the forcible placement of Indigenous children in residential and boarding schools by the Canadian and United States governments from the 19^th century to as recently as 1996. This year's campaign will begin this coming weekend and will run through March 10th.

Now in its third year, all 15 NLL teams will participate in the campaign, including specially designed helmet decals supporting "Every Child Matters" worn by all players for the remainder of the season.

"Our continued work with Indigenous athletes and communities is a major priority for the National Lacrosse League, and the 'Every Child Matters' education process and activations are key components of that platform," said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. "This program presents an opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations about the atrocities perpetrated by the residential and boarding school systems, continue the journey toward reconciliation, and honor survivors and their families."

More on The PennZone

• "LOOK UP CAFE TOKYO SKYTREE" to Open on May 22, 2026 on the 5th floor of TOKYO SKYTREE®. This Date also Marks TOKYO SKYTREE's 14th Anniversary
• "Rehabilitative Prison Program Compromised by Alleged Staff Misconduct, Whistleblower Claims"
• Creator Space LA brings together industry leaders for an immersive AI showcase, demonstrations, and film hackathon
• The Hardest Part of Building an App Isn't Starting - It's Finishing
• Imagen Golf Revolutionizes Instruction with "The Pronto Lesson,"

The "Every Child Matters" initiative is a part of the NLL's ever-growing participation and awareness programs tied to Indigenous culture, which is at the core of the League's values and the history of the sport of lacrosse. The work includes educational programs for athletes, coaches, staff, and fans, land acknowledgment ceremonies, and charitable and social responsibility programs to strengthen and enhance the ties between League stakeholders and the Indigenous community.

The NLL will also produce audio and video messaging for broadcasts on TSN and ESPN, and additional content will be incorporated into NLL.com, the League's social channels, and in-venue game presentations.

Fans will be able to purchase cotton shirts through the league's online stores, NLLShop.com and NLLStore.ca. For every shirt sold, the NLL will donate to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) in Canada and The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) in the United States.

More on The PennZone

• Uxur Taxi Unveils Luxury 3,000‑Mile Private Driver Service for Nationwide Travel
• Legacy of Learning Benefit to Support Scholarships at Grace Montessori School
• Colorfront Launches New Mac App For Creating Apple Immersive Video
• Michele Mundy's "Divinely Tailored" Gains Momentum
• Blue Notes & Blessings To Showcase Grammy Award-winning Jazz At Benefit Event For Beaver County

DWF is inspired by the tragic story of an Indigenous boy, Chanie Wenjack, and the commitment of a modern-day folk singer, Gord Downie.

There were 523 Indigenous boarding schools operating in the U.S. and 130 Indigenous residential schools in Canada, and 13 NLL teams play within a couple hours of one or more of these sites. To learn more about these schools and their locations, please visit https://boardingschoolhealing.org/digitalmap/

The League will continue to use an "Every Child Matters" logo designed by Justin Gilbert of Kuvua Designs (https://www.kuvuadesign.com/). Gilbert was selected due to his work in support of Indigenous organizations and his connection to the cause, being born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation.