City Football Group (CFG) will this week celebrate the impact of Cityzens Giving for Recovery, a 12-month global initiative launched in June 2020 to help communities around the world to get back on their feet.
Mobilizing CFG’s ten clubs, thousands of staff, players, coaches and millions of fans, the campaign has raised over $1.2million through donations from kind-hearted City fans and partners which CFG has matched dollar for dollar, seen over 10,000 hours of staff volunteering dedicated to local recovery-linked projects near to each of CFG’s clubs and supported over 100,000 people globally to date.
Since June 2020,_ Cityzens Giving for Recovery_ has focused CFG’s donations, expertise, facilities and resources on making a positive difference to the recovery of its communities globally, in addition to the emergency COVID-19 response that the Group has supported since the pandemic began through donations, in-kind support and loaning of facilities.
Cityzens Giving for Recovery has already helped to change lives in across the five boroughs and around the world. NYCFC has helped donate more than 200,000 free healthy meals to vulnerable families in the South Bronx through a partnership with New York Common Pantry, as well as created programs to ensure children have continued access to education and physical activity in the midst of the pandemic.
Around the globe, projects are supporting communities in diverse ways, including a program in Manchester that uses soccer to improve the mental health of local young people and reduce isolation tailored for young people particularly affected by the pandemic.
Sanitation equipment provided to schools in Montevideo to enable children and young people to return safely to education, the provision of fresh, healthy food and soccer sessions to communities in Melbourne, and the creation of digital learning centres to keep young people in Mumbai connected to their education are some examples of the projects supported by the Cityzens Giving for Recovery initiative and CFG Clubs over the last twelve months.
Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer of City Football Group, said:
“We are in a unique and privileged position. We can work with our clubs all over the world and help their communities to recover.
“Over a year on since the launch of Cityzens Giving for Recovery, it’s amazing to see the impact that our staff, players, coaches and fans have had through donations and volunteering efforts. They made a real difference to many people’s lives across the globe.
“I’d like to thank each and every person who has supported the initiative this year, we are so proud of what we have collectively achieved.
“Our communities are still facing challenges as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, at CFG we will continue to use our platform, our voice and our expertise to help the recovery.”
As part of the continued community work taking place across the globe by CFG, next week the organization will host its annual Global Young Leaders Summit presented by Etihad Airways, to digitally connect young leaders and empower them to continue to use soccer to make a positive difference in their communities.
