As Republic FC continues its undefeated streak to open the 2024 USL Championship season, the club and its partners have been equally busy off the pitch in March. From volunteer projects, to pledge campaigns, to launching a new health & wellness program, here’s what the Indomitable Club has been up to out in the community.
Strive for 45
As a part of their record-setting partnership announcement, Republic FC and UC Davis Health launched Strive for 45, a new program focused on working directly with the region’s children to promote healthy, sustainable fitness and nutritional habits and empower individuals to act as advocates for healthy change.
To officially kick off the program, the 10-year partners – along with Republic FC defender Damia Viader – visited Woodlake Elementary School for a P.E. takeover, leading over 50 students through soccer drills and other fun activities. Strive for 45 will launch as a pilot program this spring at five regional Title I schools where at least 40% of enrollment is made up of children from low-income families. Weekly physical education class takeovers with specially programmed youth soccer clinics, nutritional education, and more resources for students will be combined with a pedometer to help remind kids to keep active. With the pedometers as a baseline, the club and UC Davis Health will be able to examine activity and change the program to continue to encourage activity daily.
For more on Strive for 45, visit SacRepublicFC.com/Strivefor45.
Goals for Crash
In recognition of Colon Cancer Awareness Month, Republic FC called on fans and community members to honor the life of Shaun “Crash” Kitka, one of the club’s most passionate supporters. Crash was a longtime Republic FC season ticket holder and a member of Tower Bridge Battalion. Upon learning of his Colon Cancer diagnosis, he became an advocate for the importance of screenings and early detection.
Launched in Kitka’s memory, the Goals for Crash campaign was setup to benefit the Colon Cancer Alliance and Fight Colorectal Cancer, two organizations that are dedicated to funding research to cure the disease and providing patient support resources.
Once again, the club’s supporters stepped up, adding to the club’s pledge of $100 per goal, to raise $3,000 for the two organizations.
Week of Service
Alongside Indomitable Partner Raising Cane’s, Republic FC hosted its annual Week of Service, organizing five days of volunteer projects leading up to the March 9 season opener. With every volunteer shift filled almost immediately after signups opened, over 100 hours of community service were completed. Many thanks to all of the fans, partners, and community members – including Republic FC defenders Conor Donovan and Jonathan Ricketts – who participated in this impactful week.
Projects included:
- Packaging basic needs kits at 3Strands Global Foundation
- Sorting & packing food at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
- Packing backpacks at Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance
- Meal service at the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope
- Meal kit assembly & distribution at the Food Literacy Center
Black History Month Scholarship
Each year, Republic FC teams up with local community partners to invest in the next generation of leaders and changemakers, providing scholarships to support students who statistically face significant challenges in pursuing a higher education.
On Opening Night, the club and the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce presented the first scholarship of the annual series to Adedara Illori, a senior at Center High School. She plans to pursue a career in the medical field with the dream of becoming an anesthesiologist and address the inequity and underrepresentation that African Americans face in medicine, both as patients and medical professionals.
Community Tickets
Republic FC and its partners are committed to investing in the community by distributing match tickets to under-served schools and non-profit organizations, providing a space for the club to share the beautiful game with our local youth and create opportunities for them and their families to become a part of the Indomitable community.
In March, the club worked with 136 organizations to distribute 2,045 community tickets. To learn more visit SacRepublicFC.com/Community.
