Thanks to all of the fans and supporters who voted. Find out who won the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP Contest Grand Prize - including a $10,000 donation to their charity of choice and a trip for two to the AT&T MLS All-Star Game - during halftime at the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 25th!

Community

All-Star

11 July 6:57 pm

Yesterday, MLS stars and New York Red Bulls players Rafa Marquez and Kenny Cooper visited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. During their visit, Rafa and Kenny spent time with several patients and even helped a few patients learn some new soccer tricks.

MLS W.O.R.K.S. helps share the mission of St. Jude through the Goals for St. Jude program. Rafa and Kenny join Logan Pause of the Chicago Fire, Shea Salinas of the San Jose Earthquakes and Dan Kennedy of Chivas USA as ambassadors for the program.

Be on the lookout for Goals for St. Jude week in September to see how you can get involved in the life-saving mission of helping St. Jude find a cure for childhood cancer. Help us kick cancer!

Learn more about the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Soccer Kicks Cancer program.

Community

New York Red Bulls

11 July 1:51 pm

Ask Joe Bendik about his eight-year-old nephew Gavin, and his eyes instantly light up.

You see, Gavin has cystic fibrosis and Bendik, the Portland Timbers backup goalkeeper, has used his notoriety as a professional soccer player to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It's a passion that has led Bendik to raise close to $3,000 through the Portland chapter of Team Gavin as part of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Great Strides National Walk Event.

Those efforts have earned him the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month award for July.

Bendik and a handful of teammates participated in the May 19 Great Strides event at Oaks Park Amusement Park or donated gear to show their support. Along with the money generated at the local event, Team Gavin raised more than $30,000 nationwide.

Bendik is hoping to draw on the excitement displayed during the Great Strides walk to plan a charity golf tournament in August. He's also working with a local high school in the area on an alumni football game fundraiser. All of it with Gavin in mind.

Article by Dan Itel. Read more.

Community

Portland Timbers

09 July 3:38 pm

MLS W.O.R.K.S. and MLS corporate partner Continental Tire announced their commitment to educate the next generation of energy users during MLS Cup 2011 and are participating in Bonneville Environmental Foundation's (BEF) Solar 4R Schools program. A solar panel installation was awarded to KIPP Los Angeles Preparatory School--also the location of an environmentally friendly service project that culminated Greener Goals week and included players from MLS Cup 2011 champion LA Galaxy.

In addition, MLS W.O.R.K.S. and Continental Tire launched the "How Green Are Your Goals?" campaign as a way to engage MLS fans to participate and support environmentally friendly efforts leading up to Earth Day. Fans were encouraged to visit the Greener Goals website to share stories of how they incorporate green efforts into their everyday lives.

Thanks to the incredible support from supporters and fans, the Portland Timbers are the MLS W.O.R.K.S./Continental Tire "How Green Are Your Goals?" contest winners. A deserving school in Portland will receive a $50,000 solar panel installation as part of an MLS W.O.R.K.S. Earth Day 2013 community service project.

Timbers fan Jeffrey Briley was named the "How Green Are Your Goals?" Sweepstakes Grand Prize winner and has won a trip to the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game at PPL Park in Chester, PA, and a set of tires, courtesy of Continental Tire.

Congratulations to the Portland Timbers and Jeffrey Briley for your outstanding commitment to the environment.

For photos from the event at KIPP LA, visit the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Flickr page.

Community

Portland Timbers

All-Star

06 July 4:55 pm

MLS clubs continue to show support for their communities through fundraising, grants, community visits and youth programming. Check out the highlights:

Timbers Lose Their Boots to Help Mercy Corps

Timbers Award $37,000 in Community Fund Grants

Get "Scooped" by Benny Feilhaber on Friday, July 6

Kaiser Permanente Get Earthquakes Fit

'Caps Visit BC Children's Hospital

Rapids to Support Disaster Fundraising Efforts at HelpColorado.Now.org

For more community news around the League, visit the MLS W.O.R.K.S. news section.

Community

02 July 11:23 am

You've nominated them, now it's time to vote...

Who should win $10,000 for charity and a trip to the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game?

One Community MVP has been chosen to represent each MLS club. Only one winner will have the chance to win the Grand Prize, a $10,000 donation to their charity of choice and a trip to the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game at PPL Park. MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP Grand Prize voting is now open! Vote now!

Community

29 June 5:42 pm

Take a look at what the clubs have been doing in the community this week in the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Weekly Club Highlights:

Revs Partner with Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Frankie Hejduk Visits the Heroes Cup 6v6 Honoring Shawn Hannon

Rapids and Special Olympics Form Partnership for Summer Events

D.C. United Conducts Youth Soccer Clinic in Aldie

Grab Your Best XI from the Office and Enter the Timbers Corporate Cup

Sidekicks Launched To Support KSE Charities

Quakes to Donate Dollars for 'Likes' to Operation Care & Comfort

For more community news around the League, visit the MLS W.O.R.K.S. news section.

Community

22 June 5:26 pm

Find out what the clubs have been up to this week and some upcoming events in the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Weekly Club Highlights:

Seattle Sounders FC Book Drive

Sporting KC Attends Braden's Hope Photo Shoot

Philadelphia Union Honor Military Heroes

Dynamo Academy Midfielder Earns $10,000 Scholarship

Crew Soccer Foundation Golf Classic

Crew Soccer Foundation Black & Gold 5K

Food Network Star Jamie Deen to Participate in Diabetes Awareness Events with Chicago Fire

LA Galaxy Foundation Night

For more community news from around the League, visit the MLS W.O.R.K.S. news section.

Community

21 June 4:39 pm

Join Gatorade, MLS, and the soccer community in supporting young female athletes to stay in the game.

Did you know?

In 1971, one in 27 high school girls participated in sports.
In 2012, one in 2.5 high school girls play sports!

In 1972, Title IX gave women and men equal access to federally funded programs. That means your mother, your wife, your sister and even YOU have seen equal opportunities to be a young athlete.

However, while we have managed to gain young girls equal access to sports, they're still dropping out at twice the rate boys do by age 14.

We want to help change this trend.

Why?

A girl who participates in sports is more likely to get better grades and graduate high school with scholarships to college.
A girl who participates in sports is less likely to get involved in drugs.
A girl who participates in sports will have greater confidence and self-esteem keeping her from depression and eating disorders.
A girl who participates in sports is less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior or become pregnant.

How can you help?

Support the cause by changing your profile picture to your 14 year-old self (or a special female in your life like your daughter or wife) playing sports. Tweet about how playing sports helped you get to where you are today using the #KeepHerInTheGame hashtag. Most importantly, continue to encourage your daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister and friends to keep her in the game.

For more information, visit www.womenssportsfoundation.org.

En Español: http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/2012/06/21/%C3%BAnanse-al-mls-y-apoyen-keepherinthegame

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