ChildFund and Richmond Kickers Team Up for Biggest Game of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ChildFund and Richmond Kickers Team Up for Biggest Game of the Year

Statement date: July 26, 2018

Richmond, Va. – Last night, the Richmond Kickers welcomed ChildFund International to City Stadium, where the two Richmond-based organizations celebrated soccer as the universal language of childhood. During the exhibition game against La Liga’s RCD Espanyol team, the crowd of 7,356 stopped by ChildFund’s information booth where they learned about programs that help millions of children abroad and in the U.S. achieve their full potential.

“We value the importance of play when addressing the needs of children living in poverty,” said Anne Lynam Goddard, ChildFund’s President and CEO. “Soccer is such a beloved sport in all the countries we work, so we sometimes incorporate the sport to strengthen social and physical growth and simply encourage good, healthy fun.”

At the game, ChildFund showed soccer fans photos of kids around the world playing soccer, often with makeshift soccer balls created from materials like plastic bags and twine. A small soccer goal encouraged young fans to try kicking an unpoppable ball, the kind that ChildFund donates to communities in some of the countries it serves.

“The Richmond Kickers and ChildFund International are two hometown teams that understand how a sport like soccer can help change lives here and around the globe,” said Sean Dean, account executive at the Richmond Kickers. “Last night was a great opportunity to showcase soccer as the universal language of childhood, which all of our supporters enjoyed.”

To join this movement, sponsor a child and learn more, visit www.ChildFund.org/Kickers.

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ChildFund International partners with communities throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas – including the United States – to create lasting, positive change for children. Our programs address the underlying conditions that prevent children and youth from achieving their full potential. Last year, we reached 11.4 million children and family members. Approximately 200,000 Americans support our work by sponsoring individual children or investing in ChildFund programs. Within the U.S. government, we advocate to elevate and advance the issues of international child protection and child well-being across U.S. foreign assistance policy and funding priorities. Find out more at www.ChildFund.org.