Stand Together is the relationship between the Portland Timbers, Portland Thorns, Portland Timbers2 and our fans. It signifies the commitment we have to being champions both on the field and in our community.
This year, we worked with more than 250 local nonprofits who are making transformational change in the community in our three focus areas. Join us as we take a look back at our work off the pitch during the 2015 season.
1. ACTIVITY AND WELLNESS
Emphasizing soccer and inclusiveness, embracing diversity and all ability levels. We hope to keep local children active and healthy in our community by providing safe, structured areas and activities for play.
- Through the Fields for All program, the Portland Timbers, Operation Pitch Invasion and generous sponsors built SNAKE Court. This futsal court is the tenth field donated to our community that will provide local youth an organized outlet for play.
- Providence Park was proud to host the second annual Special Olympics Oregon Fall Games which engaged 650 athletes with intellectual disabilities in athletic competition and 300 coaches. Congratulations to all the participants!
- The Tix for Kids program provides Timbers, Thorns and Timbers2 game tickets, free of charge to local nonprofits. In 2015, 5,216 tickets were distributed to 53 youth focused organizations to come experience Soccer City, USA.
- Our Global Assists program supports international soccer and social change programs. For each assist made the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC, Stand Together donates a nearly indestructible ball to programs working with underprivileged communities around the world. This offseason, 150 One World Futbols will be sent to Armenia, Ecuador, Fiji, Panama and Thailand.
2. EDUCATION
Emphasizing all students reaching the third grade reading level. We want to help foster a lifetime love of learning and literacy in our local children.
- This season, Timber Joey and our athletes made over 600 appearances in our community and in the classroom to help inspire local youth.
- Almost 4,000 students statewide have been inspired by Timbers, Thorns and Timbers 2 players to become a Rose City Readers.
- The entire Thorns team made a very special visit to Scott School to facilitate a bilingual reading assembly and put on a soccer clinic for kindergarten through eighth grade students.
- The Timbers would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the 26 schools who wished them #GoodLuckPTFC (link to //www.timbers.com/post/2015/12/04/portland-area-schools-celebrate-team-timbers-spirit-day-and-goodluckptfc) before they went to MLS Cup in Ohio!
3. ENVIRONMENT
Emphasizing local awareness and activism. With the help of the youth and their families, we hope to grow the greenbelt and gardens within our city limits.
- In 2015, our players, coaches, front office staff and supporters planted 376 trees and shrubs. In turn, the foliage has:
<ul><li>Removed <strong>67,680 pounds of pollutants </strong>from the air</li><li>Absorbed <strong>18,048 pounds of carbon dioxide</strong></li><li><strong>Intercepted <strong>894,880 gallons of polluted rainwater</strong> to help keep our rivers clean</strong><br></li></ul></li><li>This year, our annual Stand Together Week was proclaimed by the State of Oregon and City of Portland. Our players, coaches, executives, front office staff and fans assembled to give back over <strong>3,300 volunteer hours at 35 projects</strong> benefitting nonprofits in the greater-Portland area.<br></li><li>The Portland Timbers Community Fund in partnership with adidas, Alaska Airlines, Providence Health & Services and Portland General Electric, gave <strong>$100,000</strong> to 19 local, youth-focused organizations in 2015.</li></ul>
We want to thank our supporters for their continued generosity and dedication to our outreach through Stand Together. To learn more about our initiatives and how to get involved, please visit www.PTSTandTogether.com. Happy Holidays! We look forward to sharing another incredible year of impact with you in 2016.
