CHICAGO, Ill. (September 20, 2013) – As a part of a new partnership with City Year Chicago, the Chicago Fire Soccer Club is sponsoring 11 City Year corps members who will work full time at Carl Schurz High School. Over the course of the 2013-2014 school year, corps members will help impact the lives of more than 730 ninth grade students. The partnership was made possible by a grant from the Hauptman Family Foundation.
City Year (cityyear.org) is an education-focused, nonprofit organization that combats the nation’s dropout epidemic by uniting young people of all backgrounds for a full year of full-time service in high-need schools. These young people, referred to as “corps members,” keep students in school and on track to graduation by serving as tutors, mentors, and role models. City Year currently has locations in 25 U.S. cities and two international affiliates.
City Year’s Team Sponsor Program provides its partners with a unique opportunity to leverage human and financial resources to impact, engage and invest in their local communities.
"We are excited to have the Chicago Fire Soccer Club join our roster of corporate partners. Because of their support and the support of all of our team sponsors, City Year Chicago is able to place 206 corps members in 20 schools, impacting 5,000 5th through 9th grade students through academic supports, mentoring programs, after school activities and parent engagement initiatives," said Lisa Morrison Butler, Executive Director and Chief Impact Officer of City Year Chicago.
Chicago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman serves as a national trustee of City Year; he is the co-founder and founding board chair of City Year Los Angeles, and has seen the impact the program has had around the country.
“To be a true Club, what we do on the field is as important as our support of the community that we are a part of,” said Andrew Hauptman, Owner, Chicago Fire Soccer Club. “As a City Year Team Sponsor, we take tremendous pride in having a direct impact on improving the quality of life for young people and transforming schools and communities across Chicagoland.”
The 11 members of City Year’s Chicago Fire Soccer Club team will serve more than 730 ninth grade students at Carl Schurz High School this school year. The Fire’s first opportunity to meet these young leaders will come at City Year Chicago’s Opening Day ceremony this Friday, September 20th. On hand to welcome the new corps members will be first team player Michael Videira and Fire executives.
Over the past 16 years, the Chicago Fire and the Chicago Fire Foundation have contributed more than $1.5 million to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths throughout the Chicagoland area, deepening our connection between the club and the community.
206 young leaders will commit a year of service to Chicago Public Schools students at City Year Chicago’s Opening Day Ceremony on Friday, September 20, 2013 at 4:00 PM CT, at Millennium Park's Chase Promenade.
