The FC Barcelona Foundation Partners with South Bronx United
Pictured (From Left): Bryan Bachner, Managing Director, FC Barcelona APAC & the Americas; Andrew So, Executive Director, South Bronx United; President Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona; Dr. Marta Segú, Executive Director, FC Barcelona Foundation; Miquel Camps, FC Barcelona Board Member.
FC Barcelona and the FC Barcelona Foundation are partnering with South Bronx United to expand crucial recreational and character development programming for children and young people in our chronically underserved community. (Read the Press Release from FC Barcelona) South Bronx United shares many values with FC Barcelona ("Més que un club") and its foundation. Like SBU, the Barca Foundation promotes sport as a tool for inclusion of vulnerable children and youth, particularly through the prevention of violence and providing access to health and education.
South Bronx United was thrilled to welcome FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta, Barca Foundation Executive Director Dra. Marta Segú, and other members of the FC Barcelona Board of Directors to the SBU Clubhouse on Sunday. President Laporta spoke to several dozen young people sharing the mission of FC Barcelona, his goals for the partnership, and even his list of most respected Barcelona players of all-time. He then joined them on the mini-pitch. The group even stopped by SBU's social enterprise Clubhouse Café.
That morning, South Bronx United was part of the Commemoration Ceremony for FC Barcelona’s 1937 USA Tour, celebrating the first time the club came to the United States and New York City. Eleven SBU student-athletes participated in the ceremony reading the names of the FC Barcelona players who competed in the 1937 game. The event was held at the site of that match at Hamilton Metz Field in Brooklyn with Mr. Laporta, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Council Member Francisco Moya, Council Member Rita Joesph, and former player and La Masia Football Coordinator Bojan Krkic. The ceremony was followed by a soccer clinic for SBU participants alongside youth from the Barcelona NY Pro Academy.
This is the first project to be run by the US Barça Foundation, a registered organization in the United States that will be developing Barça-related community actions throughout the country and will be raising funds for its international projects. The Barca Foundation is specifically supporting new projects this year in the South Bronx, including the extension of SBU’s summer camp to reach more children for longer hours and a new after-school program to bring together girls from various South Bronx middle schools through sports and workshops to promote female empowerment and social-emotional growth. South Bronx United looks forward to the continued work together in improving the lives of South Bronx youth.
For more information
South Bronx United is finalizing middle school partners for the new SBU Clubhouse Girls After-school Program supported by the Foundation. If you know of a South Bronx public school interested in the opportunity, please email info@southbronxunited.org.
For general information on South Bronx United, contact info@southbronxunited.org or (718) 404-9281.
