FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Dave Tyahla, U.S. Soccer Foundation, 202.872.6653, dtyahla@ussoccerfoundation.org
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States, today praised Representatives Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), George Miller (D-CA), David Reichert (R-WA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for establishing the Congressional Soccer Caucus. The caucus is a bi-partisan organization dedicated to promoting programs and ideas that enrich lives and strengthen communities through soccer.
“Each member of the caucus brings a unique expertise to the discussion and I thank them for recognizing that, in addition to its sporting value, soccer has become a powerful tool in the area of youth development,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “I want to thank Representatives Bono Mack, George Miller, Reichert and Van Hollen for their leadership as co-chairs of the caucus and to let them know that they can rely on the Foundation as a resource as they engage their colleagues on these critical issues,” added Foster-Simeon.
Throughout the U.S., innovative out-of-school soccer programs are keeping kids active, healthy and engaged in activities that provide an alternative to negative influences. Whether their youth development focus is education, anti-violence, community service or combating the childhood obesity epidemic, these local organizations all share the same goal — to use soccer to positively affect the lives of young people in underserved areas.
Throughout its history, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has made more than $51 million available to groups in all 50 states to support the growth of soccer in the U.S. Since the first grants were made in the spring of 1995, the Foundation has issued almost 600 awards to groups large and small in every corner of the nation.
The Congressional Soccer Caucus was founded in 2001, with Representatives Mary Bono Mack and George Miller serving as original co-chairs. The caucus has been re-established with each new Congress and benefits from the continuity of its returning leaders, as well as the energy which new co-chairs, such as Representatives Reichert and Van Hollen, bring with them to the field. These four Members represent states and regions that are home to hundreds of thousands of soccer players of all ages and abilities.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation encourages all soccer enthusiasts to get involved by urging their elected leaders to support issues of importance to the soccer community, including the need to provide children with safe places to play and with programs that encourage a healthy lifestyle. To learn more about how you can contact your Member of Congress and request that they “get in the game” and join the Soccer Caucus, please visit ussoccerfoundation.org.
About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation was established in 1994 to manage the surplus funds generated by the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States. As the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the U.S., the Foundation has invested more than $51 million in the game, supporting hundreds of projects in every state in the country. The Foundation provides grants focused on developing players, coaches and referees and building or enhancing fields and soccer complexes, with a special emphasis on economically disadvantaged youth in urban communities. For more information, or to donate online, please visit ussoccerfoundation.org.
Media Request: When referring to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States, please refer to the organization only as the U.S. Soccer Foundation or the Foundation, and never as USSF or US/U.S. Soccer. We appreciate your cooperation.
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