CHICAGO(Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club and the Chicago Fire Foundation have joined the #ILGiveBig movement, a campaign designed to harness the collective power of partners to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #ILGiveBig will inspire Illinois residents to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the causes they support, and help create a better world.
“The Foundation is able to make a positive impact in the lives of the underserved youth in the Chicagoland area through our various initiatives, such as the P.L.A.Y.S. program,” said Chicago Fire Foundation Executive Director Jessica Yavitz. “The meaningful work and programming that we’re able to do is made possible by our generous donors. We’re extremely grateful for the continued support and remain steadfast to our commitment to improve the quality of life for youth and communities throughout Chicagoland.”
One of the marquee programs run by the Foundation, the P.L.A.Y.S. Program (Participate, Learn, Achieve Youth Soccer) integrates soccer with social and emotional learning to not only help kids learn and enjoy soccer, but also strengthen academic performance. This past year saw 256 third through fifth grade boys and girls participate at eight Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) schools across Chicago.
No contribution is too small, as $25 provides transportation for one P.L.A.Y.S. participant. Additional information on how to give back to the Chicago Fire Foundation can be found at http://active.com/donate/chifiredonations.
Taking place December 2, 2014 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #ILGiveBig will harness the power of social media to create a state-wide movement around the holidays dedicated to giving – similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping. Nationally, the #GivingTuesday movement was created to channel the spirit of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving. Led by the Donors Forum, the goal of the #ILGiveBig campaign, in its first year, is to raise $12 million from 100,000 residents on Dec. 2.
