- Program includes goal to raise $5 million over 5-years to fund free community programs and safe spaces to play
- Expansion aims to serve 10,000 young people each year
Today, NYCFC is proud to launch For The City, a five-year initiative to make soccer more accessible for every community in NYC ahead of the World Cup in 2026. With an ambitious goal to raise $5 million over 5-years for City in the Community (CITC) NY foundation to fund free community programs and safe spaces to play, all areas of the Club – from players to partners to staff to fans – will contribute to this unified cause. Working with community partners, For The City aims to double the number of youth served through CITC soccer programs growing the number of participants from 5,000 to 10,000 annually.
For The City builds on CITC’s legacy of bettering lives through soccer. Since 2014, CITC NY – the 501 (c)(3) charity foundation proudly supported by the NYCFC – has served over 30,000 New York youth, established free programming in 60% of communities across the five boroughs, created 60 free spaces to play and helped donate 250,000 meals to the South Bronx community through an ongoing partnership with New York Common Pantry. The impact of this community work has received national recognition. NYCFC has been named a finalist for the ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award four times, won the MLS Community Team of the Year Award twice, had two Young Leaders named as honorees for the ESPN Billie Jean King Award and was selected as a winner of the NYC Mayoral Service Recognition Partnership Impact Award for Excellence for work during COVID-19.
For The City is the next chapter. This new initiative will allow the Club to do even more and take this important community work to the next level.
For The City will run over the course of the next five years, but will kick off with several key moments throughout the remainder of NYCFC’s 2021 season, including:
- The opening of a new mini-soccer pitch in Harlem in partnership with Black Players for Change (BPC) and Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC).
- Partnering on the launch of 100 new Saturday Night Lights (SNL) gym openings across the five boroughs at times when crime is the highest.
- The continuation of Soccer Bloc, a program focused on developing young leaders and empowering them to provide free soccer to underserved communities throughout the summer.
- The opening of the 50th – and final – mini-soccer pitch to celebrate the culmination of the New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI) 50-pitch project in partnership with the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, U.S. Soccer Foundation, Etihad Airways and adidas.
- Power the Vote, a youth-led sports coalition that uses the power of sport to educate and create access to online tools to increase civic engagement.
- Cityzens Giving, City Football Group’s global fundraising effort that takes place annually.
For The City officially launches today to coincide with the squad’s return to the Bronx and reinforces the Club’s commitment to be For The City. Tonight, the NYCFC First Team takes on Orlando City SC at 6:00 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium and the Club will be raising awareness for the fundraiser at the match.
NYCFC CEO, Brad Sims, commented:
“We want to leave a legacy for the City we all love by focusing on creating real impact, expanding programming into all 71 communities across the five boroughs and providing free access and opportunities to even more kids in New York City. Together, with our players, staff, partners, fans and greater NYCFC Family, we will deliver on these goals through our new For The City program.”
NYCFC and CITC work closely with City agencies including NYC Service, NYC Department of Education, NYC Parks, NYPD, NYCHA, and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC to serve local youth, build safe spaces, deliver free health and education programs and empower young leaders in the community. Visit www.nycfc.com/community to learn more about programming and to support For The City.
