WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Children's National Medical Center was announced Tuesday by D.C. United as the benefiting organization for the United Toy Drive for D.C. initiative, in place for each of the club's July home games. On July 3, 14 and 17, as part of the organization's United Drives for D.C. campaign, United will be collecting new and unused toys to benefit kids of the Children's National Medical Center.
"D.C. United has always enjoyed a special relationship with Children's Hospital," said Catherine Marquette, D.C. United's director of community & fan relations and executive director of United For D.C. "We are pleased to be able to support the hospital's efforts by designating it as the beneficiary of our July toy drive. We are confident our fans and members of our community will come out and support this activity."
Every month during the 2004 Major League Soccer season, D.C. United will collect items at each home match to benefit Washington, D.C. area non-profit organizations. United collects items outside of gate A beginning two hours before kickoff and concluding fifteen minutes into the first half. Fans who donate an item receive a commemorative key chain and a "Buy One, Get One" ticket voucher good for any D.C. United regular season home game.
During the month of June, United collected children's books. In two home matches, more than 350 books were collected to benefit children of United for D.C.'s United Reads program. In May, more than 100 canned foods were donated to Martha's Table and the Capital Area Foods Bank and, in April, more than 450 pieces of soccer equipment were distributed to DC SCORES and the Latin American Youth Center.
For more information on the United Drives for D.C. program or to receive more information about any of D.C. United's community relations initiatives, please contact Catherine Marquette at (202) 587-5443 or cmarquette@dcunited.com
