Over the past MLS season, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, an MLS "Charity of Choice", has worked with MLS teams and players to provide children in economically-disadvantaged areas the opportunity to play soccer often for the first time.
For example, earlier this year the Foundation partnered with MLS W.O.R.K.S., the League's charitable arm, to sponsor a soccer clinic for FC Harlem (N.Y.) with world-class MLS superstars Juan Pablo Angel, Jozy Altidore, David Beckham and Ty Harden. The purpose of the clinic was to increase awareness of the need to for more recreational spaces in urban communities such as Harlem and the South Bronx for young people to play soccer.
FC Harlem is a recreational soccer league and competitive travel team program designed to create a safe opportunity for youth (ages 5 to 19) in Harlem and the South Bronx to learn and play soccer in a challenging, yet culturally diverse neighborhood. Since 1991, FC Harlem has used soccer to empower communities in New York but has never had a field of its own. Through a fundraising drive that will culminate in a Black Tie Gala next March, MLS W.O.R.K.S. and the Foundation, with the support of the New York City Parks Department, intend to provide FC Harlem with a place to play and enhance its programs.
In addition to investing in recreational soccer programs in urban areas, the Foundation also provides support to soccer organizations that are forging innovative partnerships to address various health and wellness issues affecting at-risk children. Through its Annual Grants Program, the Foundation has awarded the MLS Players' Award to groups like Newark Now in Newark, N.J., the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Denver, Colo., the United Neighborhood Organization in Chicago, Ill., and the Southern California Youth Soccer Organization in Los Angeles, Calif. All of these grantees are introducing the sport to children and their families, and helping to keep kids active and off the streets during non-school hours. The Foundation is grateful to MLS for their support, which enables the Foundation to make annual MLS Players' Awards from player fines that the League imposes during the course of its regular season and playoffs.
In addition to the Annual Grants Program, the Foundation is also fulfilling a commitment to get kids moving and improve their lives through sport. Together with Nike, the Foundation recently celebrated the opening of a world-class FieldTurf soccer field located at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington in southeast Washington D.C. U.S. soccer star Freddy Adu, formerly of Real Salt Lake, joined the festivities along with community leaders, to celebrate and begin play on the new state-of-the-art mini soccer field, which replaces a parking lot that was previously attached to Robert V. Murray Clubhouse #11 in the neighborhood of Anacostia.
The new soccer field is located in Ward 8 of the Nation's Capital and supports the Club's ongoing efforts to regain its popularity among neighborhood children and diversify the programming offered to its members. The small size of the field is ideal for introducing younger players to the game and encouraging players of all ages to develop their technical soccer skills. Visit the Foundation's website: www.ussoccerfoundation.org to view photos and watch video of the grand opening.
In an effort to continue building new soccer fields and investing in urban soccer programs that enrich the lives of underserved children, the Foundation is focusing all of its year-end fundraising efforts on generating support for its Annual Grants Program. The requests for financial assistance from the national soccer community continue to increase each year and exceed the Foundation's available resources. Therefore, the Foundation has set a goal for the year-end campaign to raise a minimum of $125,000 to support soccer clubs and organizations in urban areas to help increase the number of children playing the sport in metropolitan communities nationwide.
We hope you will consider a tax-deductible gift of support for the Foundation's Annual Grants Program. 100 percent of every dollar contributed will go directly to expanding our support for the development of coaches, players and referees in economically disadvantaged urban areas.
Visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org to make a tax-deductible gift to support Foundation investments in urban soccer programs and projects that benefit disadvantaged youth.
