A new community initiative inspired by Brantford’s hockey heritage is inviting residents to give an assist to someone who could use one.
Developed by Brantford resident Steve Karalis, Pass the Puck Forward will launch as a month-long pilot on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Five local cafés, bakeries and quick-service restaurants will give customers the opportunity to purchase $1 mini hockey pucks (represented by black crokinole discs), which anyone can redeem toward food or drink purchases.
“Pass the Puck Forward is about taking a familiar pay-it-forward idea and giving it a Brantford identity,” said Steve. “Hockey is part of our history and a source of pride in this community. The idea is simple: give a puck, take a puck and help someone who could use an assist that day.”
Where the Idea Began
The inspiration came from 541 Eatery & Exchange, a nonprofit café in Hamilton that provides freshly prepared meals at affordable prices.
“During a day trip to Hamilton last fall, I stopped at a café I had heard great things about,” said Steve. “As I placed my order, I noticed two jars filled with colourful buttons. One was labelled ‘Buy a Button,’ and the other was labelled ‘Take a Button.’”
Customers at 541 can purchase any number of buttons for $1 each. Every button purchased is moved into the “Take a Button” jar, where any customer can redeem up to six buttons per day toward the cost of a meal.
Steve purchased 20 buttons during his first visit, and the concept stuck with him.
“I started thinking about how we could do something like that in Brantford, but with a local twist,” he said. “I thought about what makes Brantford unique, and hockey kept coming up. The ‘Lord Mayor’ Walter Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ Wayne Gretzky, The Brantford Bulldogs, Brantford Titans, Brantford 99ers, the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, and our title as the Tournament Capital of Ontario. Brantford is hockey. That was the connection.”
From an Idea to Pass the Puck Forward
Steve registered for the Community Changemaker program, hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University’s StartUp Lab and the City of Brantford. He attended six weekly sessions to plan and develop the initiative before pitching it to three City of Brantford staff members and his fellow Changemaker participants in November 2025.
The result was Pass the Puck Forward:
Give a puck. Take a puck. Every assist counts.
The pitch earned Steve a $1,000 grant through the Community Changemaker program. The funding allowed him to purchase the jars, signs, mini pucks and promotional materials required to offer the initiative at no cost to participating businesses.
He then began reaching out to local businesses interested in supporting the community in a fun, creative and sustainable way. One of those businesses was Pace’s Take Out & Catering.
“We’ve been in business for 27 years, and supporting our community has always been important to us,” said Sandra Pace, owner of Pace’s Take Out & Catering. “We’re thrilled to be part of Pass the Puck Forward.”
Participating Businesses
Pass the Puck Forward will launch at the following five Brantford businesses:
- Pace’s Take Out & Catering, 432 Elgin St.
- Mercasa Little Italy Eatery & Catering, 195 Henry St.
- Maria’s Pizza West, 242 Colborne St. W.
- SWEET Bakery, 403 Fairview Dr.
- Altitude Coffee Roasters, 174 Brant Ave.
How It Works
Each participating business will display two jars:
- Give a Puck: Customers can pass the puck forward by purchasing mini hockey pucks for $1 each. Purchased pucks are moved from the “Give a Puck” jar to the “Take a Puck” jar.
- Take a Puck: Anyone can ask to redeem available pucks from this jar toward a food or drink purchase, subject to the daily redemption limit established by each participating business.
The visible jars are intended to become symbols of community kindness, sparking conversations and encouraging residents to keep the chain of generosity going.
Participating businesses may also use pucks from their “Take a Puck” jars to surprise customers at their discretion. A free coffee, baked good or contribution toward a meal could become an unexpected highlight of someone’s day.
“This isn’t only about helping someone pay for a meal,” said Steve. “It’s about creating a visible reminder that our community members are willing to look out for one another. One small assist can change the direction of someone’s day.”
The pilot will run throughout September 2026, aligning with the beginning of the school year and the lead-up to the start of the regular season for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs and the GOHL’s Brantford Titans.
Residents can participate beginning Tuesday, September 1 by visiting any of the five participating businesses and asking to pass the puck forward.
