Throughout the 2011 Major League Soccer season, D.C. United collects items at every home game to benefit pre-determined non-profit organizations within the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. This August, the club will collect school supplies to benefit United for D.C. and its six adopted schools. As a D.C. United signature program, United Drives assigns a different charity drive for each month of the MLS regular season, including the collection of games, toys, food, children’s books, and soccer equipment.
United for D.C.’s mission is to champion educational, health, and recreational programs and events that serve disadvantaged youth of greater Washington, D.C. by engaging the resources and skills of D.C. United and their community.
Founded in 2002, United for D.C. reaches over 1,500 students at its six adopted schools and will donate over 10,000 books throughout the school year. Donated school supplies may include (but are not limited to) pencils, calculators, notebooks, markers, erasers and rulers.
This year D.C. United initiated a United Drives Challenge to help encourage and create an opportunity for elementary and middle schools to give back to the community. It provides a competition between D.C. area schools to collect the greatest amount of United Drives items each month. The monthly winners will receive a pizza party with a D.C. United player to celebrate the schools’ achievement. If your institution is interested in taking The Challenge, please contact D.C. United’s Community Relations Department.
Additionally, all fans that donate an item will receive a “Buy One, Get One Free” ticket voucher, redeemable for a 2011 regular season home game. The collection bin on game days is located at the United Drives Booth outside RFK Stadium’s Gate A, and is open from two hours prior to the game until 15 minutes after kickoff.
Donations are also accepted in the D.C. United offices on non-game days, located on the fourth floor of Gate A. This season marks the eighth year of the United Drives campaign, which collects much-needed items to help with each beneficiary mission.
For more information on United Drives or any of the D.C. United’s community initiatives, please call (202) 587-5000.
