MLS & Partners Commit to Community Service For All-Star Week 2022
August 5, 2022
From August 8 -10, Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Week is set to bring community-focused events to Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota - commonly known as the Twin Cities - in the United States. A continuation of the league's goals of building sustainable, equitable and inclusive communities, MLS and its partners will provide meals to those experiencing food insecurity, unveil a new soccer mini-pitch for youth, host a showcase to celebrate local impactful leaders and community heroes, target grants and donations and highlight environmental sustainability practices that will leave a legacy.
According to Second Harvest Heartland, 1 in 12 Minnesotans, including 1 in 8 children, do not know where their next meal will come from. MLS WORKS, US Hunger and Target are teaming up to help by distributing meals through Keystone Community Services and Second Harvest Heartland. MLS Greats, and LIGA MX Legends, Luis Hernández and Pavel Pardo, along with volunteers will help pack 100,000 healthy meals. Fans and MLS guests can register to participate in this All-Star Day of Service after which they can celebrate with food, music, entertainment and games.
Hernández and Pardo will join MLS, Minnesota United FC, Target and the US Soccer Foundation to unveil a new soccer mini-pitch at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities Mt. Airy Club. Beneficiaries will also include surrounding neighborhoods and participants from Sol of the Cities Futsal League, whose mission is to unite communities through futsal (played on a smaller hard court mainly indoors). The new pitch will allow the league to expand its reach in providing access and a safe space for youth to come together to play soccer.
The partnership will also offer training to more than 300 coaches through the Urban Soccer Diploma, a unique collaboration between United Soccer Coaches and the US Soccer Foundation that provides tools to coaches working in non-traditional soccer settings, including how best to engage youth living in underserved communities.
Minnesota United will also join MLS, Black Players for Change (BPC) and community leaders to celebrate local diverse leaders who’ve created a positive impact in their communities. The intimate event will feature a panel conversation that will highlight the leaders and their organizations making an impact in one of four areas: education, mental health, food security or social justice.
An MLS All-Star concert on August 8 presented by Target will benefit The Alliance, a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance justice and equity in economic growth and land development in the Twin Cities region.
Committed to addressing environmental impact and raise awareness of sustainability initiatives, MLS will offset a portion of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with All-Star week festivities. It will invest in carbon credits used for Forest Conservation projects in partnership with South Pole where $1 of All-Star tickets will be used to help support these offsets.
MLS will also specifically invest in the Fond du Lac Forestry Project located in North-eastern Minnesota, which collaborates with communities to sustainably manage and conserve Minnesotan Forest. Striving to protect native lands and natural resources, the project was developed as part of the Tribal Land Conservation Initiative and works closely with the Fond du Lac people to sustainably manage an area that covers over 8,197 acres of landscape. The project aims to protect the region and its natural resources not only to reduce emissions from deforestation but additionally for the cultural, spiritual, and physical well-being of the its people.
In addition, LIGA MX All-Stars will play for The Sanneh Foundation, whose mission is to empower youth by supporting and promoting educational attainment through in-school and after-school support. The organization improves lives through programs that strengthen physical health and social and emotional development, and unite communities by advancing diversity, equity and community well-being through the Twin Cities metro area. $25,000 will be donated to the selected charity on behalf of the winning team.
Lastly, the 2022 Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game presented by MLS WORKS, ESPN and Coca-Cola will take place on August 10. The free-of-charge event will include 40 Unified team members representing 20 MLS clubs, comprised of individuals with and without intellectual disabilities. The game is part of the season-long Special Olympics Unified Soccer Exchange program that provides opportunities for Unified soccer teams to participate in a first-team MLS experience to reinforce inclusivity and showcase diversity to MLS fans.