MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month Archive
2012
May
Seattle Sounders' Roger Levesque
There are a few things Roger Levesque loves more than putting smiles on people's faces. During his career as a Seattle Sounders forward, he's done that plenty of times with his goals and creative celebrations. But where he's perhaps made a more important contrivution is making people smile for what he does off the field. Levesque's collaboration with Ronald McDonald House on its "Men In Kilts" fundraiser was just one of the recent charitable efforts supported by May's MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month.
April
Sporting KC's Matt Besler
Growing up in the Kansas City area, Matt Besler saw MLS struggle for attention in the local market. Now, with his club’s fan base ever-growing and energized by rebranding, a new home and onfield success, Sporting Kansas City’s All-Star center back has a ready-made target audience for his charitable work with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
2011
November
2011 MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year: Zak Boggs
October
Houston Dynamo's Geoff Cameron
When Houston Dynamo defender/midfielder Geoff Cameron suffered a knee ligament rupture in April 2010, the burgeoning star was faced with a lengthy rehabilitation stint. It was a difficult time made easier by the support of family and friends. With their help, Cameron recovered to return in August of that year – well ahead of schedule.
That experience spurred Cameron – named MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month for October – to found the "20 for 20" campaign. The name is a play on his number, 20, and his goal to raise $20,000 for the Ronald McDonald House and Fisher House. Ronald McDonald House provides housing and financial support to the families of children recovering from illness or surgery, while Fisher House does the same for the families of military veterans.
September
St. Jude Ambassadors: New York Red Bulls' Medhi Ballouchy, San Jose Earthquakes' Jason Hernandez, Chivas USA's Michael Lahoud, and Chicago Fire's Logan Pause
In June, New York's Mehdi Ballouchy, San Jose's Jason Hernandez, Chivas USA's Michael Lahoud and Chicago's Logan Pause visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – one of the premier pediatric cancer research centers in the world – as MLS Ambassadors to the Goals for St. Jude program, part of the league’s “Soccer Kicks Cancer” initiative. The visit to see some of the sickest kids in the world stands in stark contrast to the experience of men who regularly soak in the adoration of cheering fans. But giving the patients at St. Jude's a reason to smile proved to be much more rewarding.
August
Portland Timbers' Jack Jewsbury
It’s been tough for Jack Jewsbury to view from afar the suffering caused by the tornado that ripped through his birthplace, Joplin, Mo., this spring. But at least Jewsbury, the nine-year MLS veteran and Portland Timbers captain, can take solace in the fact that his efforts have helped directly in the rebuilding process. Jewsbury and the Timbers’ partnership with the American Red Cross has allowed fans to make donations to the Joplin disaster relief.
July
Vancouver Whitecaps' Jeb Brovsky
Vancouver Whitecaps FC rookie Jeb Brovsky is making a push for a starting place on the pitch this season, but it’s his off-field work with Peace Pandemic that has earned him MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month award for July. The Colorado native founded Peace Pandemic, a non-profit organization, last year while attending the University of Notre Dame to harness “the power of soccer as a tool for social change.”
June
New England Revolution's Zak Boggs
The lifestyle of a professional soccer player doesn't necessary suit New England midfielder Zak Boggs. Boggs has an active mind – he graduated from the University of South Florida early with a degree in biomedical sciences and found himself nominated as a Rhodes Scholar candidate – and he likes to use it for more than just the two-hour period when the Revs train every day. “I've found myself trying to do things to stay busy,” Boggs told MLSsoccer.com last week. As part of his quest to keep his mind engaged, Boggs spends one afternoon per week working as an intern/guest researcher in Dr. Marsha A. Moses' cancer research laboratory at Children's Hospital in Boston.
May
Houston Dynamo's Danny Cruz 
Danny Cruz is known for his energy on the field. And now, inspired by a postgame meeting with 9-year-old cancer survivor Brendon Farmer, the midfielder is channeling that energy to raise money and awareness for cancer research. The 21-year-old midfielder met Farmer — a Leukemia survivor and the 2011 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Boy of the Year – after a game last year. The two struck up a friendship, and after Cruz learned more about Farmer’s fight and courage, he decided he had to help. Cruz set out to use his profession and profile to increase awareness about LLS activities, culminating in a nomination for Houston LLS Man of the Year and the Cruzin’ for a Cure campaign. On Tuesday, Cruz was named MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month for May for his work with the campaign.
April
FC Dallas' Daniel Hernandez
Daniel Hernandez’s brother Nico was on the way to following his brother into a life of soccer. But things didn’t work out as planned. In 1998, Nico was a promising player at Southern Methodist, who were coached at the time by current FC Dallas manager Schellas Hyndman. Unlike his older brother, he was a striker, who Daniel says “definitely would’ve gone pro.” Then, in December of that year, Nico was involved in a car accident while returning to Dallas from the Hernandez’s hometown of Tyler, Texas. Nico’s best friend was killed in the accident, and Nico’s spinal cord was severed, paralyzing him from the chest down. Shortly after Nico’s accident, Hernandez came across the book Nothing is Impossible, written by the late actor Christopher Reeve, who was paralyzed in a horseback-riding accident in 1995. Hernandez was touched by Reeve’s message so much that he bought a copy for his brother to read.
March
Seattle's Fredy Montero
When his home country was devastated by a flood, Fredy Montero knew he had to help. When the Sounders community heard about it, they knew they had to help Montero.Campo de la Cruz, Colombia, the township where Montero was born and where his grandfather lives, was one of the hardest hit areas during the December floods that rocked the country. The natural disaster occurred just days after the Sounders attacker signed a contract to become the club’s third Designated Player. Within the week, Montero boarded a plane to South America to assist with the relief effort.
2010
*Please note that players listed below may no longer be associated with these clubs or Major League Soccer as of 1/1/2011.
November 2010
Humanitarian of the Year: Seth Stammler
Former New York Red Bull’s Seth Stammler was voted the 2010 MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year for his charitable work in Haiti and commitment to giving back in the NewYork/New Jersey community.
October 2010
Seattle's James Riley
Since turning pro in 2005, Riley has worked to help fight breast cancer, first with the Breast Cancer Foundation in Boston and now with the Puget Sound Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. He does everything he can in hopes that someday kids won't have to worry about receiving that same phone call from their mother—or at the very least that they have a sufficient support system if they do get that call.
September 2010
Kansas City's Kei Kamara
Kei Kamara was only 16 years old when he arrived in the United States from Sierra Leone, his native country. He participated in a variety of sports while in high school, but it was his involvement with soccer that has given him the opportunity to take part in various projects and give back to the communities that mean the most to him.
August 2010
Chivas USA's Michael Lahoud
Knowing the importance of having a role model, Chivas USA midfielder Michael Lahoud dedicates time each week to a local soccer club, Compton United. Beyond teaching soccer skills, Lahoud takes a very active role with Compton United players working with an intimate group of about four students, ages 14-16. Lahoud prefers to be hands-on to provide the children with a very personal experience.
July 2010
Crew's Jed Zayner
In 2008, Columbus Crew defender Jed Zayner embarked on a humanitarian trip to Mexico armed with more than 150 pounds of clothing and soccer gear. He spent two weeks teaching soccer skills to orphans and distributing food and clothing to under privileged children and families.
June 2010
Dynamo's Craig Waibel
Fans have created a series of t-shirts featuring the phrase “Bald is Beautiful,” a nod to the bald Dynamo defender. What started as a simple joke, led to an event that raised thousands of dollars for cancer research. Waibel’s Warriors, Craig’s fan club, hosted the ‘Bald is Beautiful’ fundraiser, in which fans, friends and family pledged funds for Waibel’s Warriors, Dynamo players, and local supporters alike to shave their heads for the cause.
May 2010
Revolution's Chris Tierney
Tierney typically spends several hours a week working with youth soccer teams, but his most impressive work stems from his involvement with Grassroot Soccer, which uses the power of soccer in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Tierney has become quite active as a spokesperson for the organization. The 24-year-old felt it was important to understand the organization from the inside out and traveled to Capetown, South Africa to work with the volunteers. While in South Africa, he participated in the day-to-day operations of the program, performing various duties that ranged from running soccer clinics to assisting at HIV testing facilities.
April 2010
Seattle's Sanna Nyassi
Every 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria. 3.3 billion people are at risk of contracting the disease. Sounders FC midfielder Sanna Nyassi was one of those people affected, but he beat the odds not once, but twice. He has decided to use his second chance as an opportunity to educate the masses about the simple solutions to end malaria.
