On the one-year anniversary of the FC Cincinnati Foundation’s launch, the not-for-profit announced today that it invested $1 million into the Greater Cincinnati community in its first year of operation.
The majority of the million-dollar investment went to programming to benefit underserved youth in the community, especially through soccer and other sports programming.
More than 33,000 area children have been directly impacted by the FC Cincinnati Foundation’s work in the community, mainly through five key programs.
“We are so thrilled to announce that we’ve made a $1 million impact in our community in just our first year,” Kate Solomon, Executive Director of the FC Cincinnati Foundation said. “We had aggressive plans coming out of the gate, but the support we’ve received from not only the community as a whole, but also our many corporate partners, has extended the reach we thought we’d have after a year. We are excited to continue growing our programming and being a good neighbor in Cincinnati as we move into 2020 and future years.”
The Club Ambassador program reached 6,500 students through in-school soccer programming, led by former FCC striker and current club ambassador Omar Cummings. Cummings and the Foundation staff led gym classes in area schools, making 4-6 visits per year at each location to teach kids to play soccer.
Another 200 children were affected through the after-school Soccer for Success program, which the Foundation runs in partnership with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and the YMCA. The 24-week program is designed to introduce youth ages 6-14 to the sport of soccer, while also providing them and their families with the tools they need to make healthy lifestyle decisions.
The West End Pride soccer program grew to 235 participants this year. This program gives children from the West End the opportunity to get involved in SAY soccer in their neighborhood, and brings the teams together for special events including an outing to an FC Cincinnati game, away game watch party and end-of-season awards program for both the fall and spring seasons.
Learning Is Cool began its first year under the FC Cincinnati Foundation’s leadership after it transitioned from the Marvin Lewis Community Fund. The popular program reaches 27,000 students and encourages academic achievements through incentives and a special event to meet the entire FC Cincinnati team.
The FC Cincinnati Foundation also finished construction of two new Mini Pitches in the region. The first, completed in March, was built at the Lincoln Recreation Center in the West End. The second, completed in August, is located at the Hartwell Recreation Center. The FC Cincinnati Foundation Mini Pitches provide free and safe spaces to play in the communities, as well as additional spaces for partner programming for the community. The club has committed to building a total of 10 Mini Pitches throughout the Greater Cincinnati region, with eight more to be completed by 2024.
Additionally, in the coming weeks, a total of $100,000 in grant money will be distributed to West End organizations. These groups will receive the funds to help them grow and expand the many successful programs already in place in the neighborhood for community members.
ABOUT THE FC CINCINNATI FOUNDATION
The FC Cincinnati Foundation was formed in December 2018 and aims to improve the lives of children in the Greater Cincinnati area through the game of soccer. The Foundation’s mission is accomplishment primarily through five key programs: School Club Ambassador, Soccer for Success, Mini Soccer Pitch Builds, West End Pride and Learning Is Cool. These programs help promote and encourage strong academic performance, and serve as catalysts to reinforce character values and improved health. The Foundation also serves as FC Cincinnati’s philanthropic arm, making donations and investments to Cincinnati-area organizations that have similar goals and ambitions for the area’s youth. Fans can follow along with the FC Cincinnati Foundation’s community work through its social media channels: @FCC_Foundation on Twitter,/FCCincyFoundation on Facebook and @FCCFoundation on Instagram.
