Community Partners
The Chicago Fire Foundation and our community partners are dedicated to enriching the lives of the Chicagoland community. The following is a list of our current charity partners. We are excited to work with these organizations and continue our outreach into the community.
MLS W.O.R.K.S
Launched in April 2007, MLS W.O.R.K.S. is Major League Soccer's community outreach initiative dedicated to addressing important social issues and serves as a platform for both League and club philanthropic programs. MLS W.O.R.K.S. seeks to establish Major League Soccer as a leader for improving the lives of people through sport.
MLS W.O.R.K.S. supports both national and international organizations dedicated to bettering the world we live in, including the UNICEF, the UN Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Grassroot Soccer, Hope & Heroes and many others.
The Chicago Fire are proud to support the Don’t Cross the Line campaign. Click here to learn more and take the pledge!
URBAN INITIATIVES
Urban Initiatives is a nonprofit organization that runs a health and education soccer program, called the Work to Play Program, in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). By actively engaging participants in extracurricular activities at a young age, Urban Initiatives empowers youth to live a healthy lifestyle, value education, and enhance their personal and social development. The Chicago Fire Foundation is proud to partner with Urban Initiatives to utilize a collaborative, whole child approach to development in order to provide children with the opportunity to reach their full potential.
AMERICA SCORES CHICAGO
America SCORES Chicago partners with schools to provide a high-quality, team-based program that integrates soccer, poetry, and service-learning. The Chicago Fire Foundation is proud to partner with America SCORES Chicago to help grow the sports of soccer by providing children in undeserved communities in the Chicagoland area with the opportunity to experience the beautiful game
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CHICAGO
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago provides hope, stability and opportunity for more than 13,840 young people per year throughout 32 Clubs in the Chicago area. Each Club is supervised by caring and trained professionals who engage kids in more than 200 activities each year. Club leaders and staff members believe their work is an opportunity to positively shape the future of America. Boys & Girls Clubs’ programs have taken members from the Clubhouse to the White House; from the game room to the corporate boardroom; and from the drum corps to Orchestra Hall. The Chicago Fire Foundation is excited to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago and support its mission to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
ANN AND ROBERT H. LURIE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO
The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is Illinois' only freestanding hospital exclusively for kids. Ranked #1 in almost every major pediatric specialty, they provide superior pediatric healthcare in a compassionate, family-centered environment. Through this partnership, the Chicago Fire Foundation will work with Lurie Children’s Institute for Sports Medicine to provide funding for its Knee Injury Prevention Program (KIPP) which is designed to lower the risk of ACL injuries in athletes.
ACADEMY FOR URBAN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), created in 2001, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve student achievement in Chicago’s high-poverty, chronically failing schools through its disciplined transformation process, built on a foundation of specially trained AUSL teachers. In 2013, the Chicago Fire Foundation launched the soccer and academic focused P.L.A.Y.S. Program in 8 AUSL schools throughout Chicago.
World Sport Chicago is an independent, non-profit organization that teaches positive values and leadership through sport. The organization acts on the belief that sport has the power to strengthen individuals, and in turn, Chicago’s communities. World Sport Chicago promotes programs and events and collaborates with several community partners, public agencies and Chicago’s professional sports teams to deliver impact and change.
In 2013, the Chicago Fire Foundation in partnership with World Sport Chicago launched the P.L.A.Y.S. Program which focuses specifically on developing social and emotional learning characteristics in elementary school students.
ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. As a part of the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Soccer Kicks Cancer campaign, Chicago Fire captain Logan Pause was recognized as the September “Humanitarian of the Month” for his work with St. Jude as one of four MLS ambassadors.
LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is an organization with a mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS has dedicated itself to being one of the top-rated voluntary health agencies in terms of dollars that directly fund their mission.
In 2012, the Chicago Fire Foundation partnered with the LLS for their “Soccer Kicks for Cancer” program. Youth soccer players solicited pledges for every time the player touched a soccer ball over a ten-day period, with the goal of 2,000 touches. In support of LLS’ great cause and their alignment with the values of the Foundation, CFF gave over $9,000 in 2012. We look to continue our partnership and expand the program in 2013
MLS W.O.R.K.S. SOCCER KICKS CANCER - MOVEMBER
As a part of Soccer Kicks Cancer, MLS and MLS W.O.R.K.S, the Chicago Fire participated in MOVEMBER, a moustache growing campaign that raises awareness for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives. Thank you to all those who took the challenge and helped to raise funds for this worthwhile cause!
