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SUBARU GEAR FOR GOOD INITIATIVE EXPANDS TO HELP GROW THE GAME ON NATIONAL SOCCER DAY
Automaker collaborates with the Philadelphia Union, Leveling the Playing Field, and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to collect and provide soccer gear for local youth
PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced an extension to its Subaru: Gear for Good initiative to expand access to soccer by collecting and redistributing new and gently used gear to youth in high-needs communities around Philadelphia and the automaker's hometown of Camden, NJ. The campaign kicks off as Philadelphia prepares to host some of the biggest matches of the world's favorite sport in 2026 and builds upon Subaru and its retailers' ongoing commitment to community and youth development. To help more kids fall in love with the game, the automaker will also donate soccer equipment to the community-driven campaign.
Through partnerships with Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union and youth sports non-profit Leveling the Playing Field, Subaru aims to collect at least 2,026 pieces of soccer gear, which will be distributed to local programs in coordination with Leveling the Playing Field and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. Recipient groups will be announced in December 2025, coinciding with the official group stage draw of the international tournament, revealing where soccer teams will be playing in the summer of 2026.
Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America: "Every child deserves the chance to play, and sometimes all that stands in the way is the need for a pair of cleats. This initiative is rooted in the belief that access to sports can open doors, build confidence, and create lasting connections. As the excitement for the world's most popular sport focuses in on our region, this is one way we're helping to strengthen the communities we call home."
Official Subaru: Gear for Good collection bins will be installed at five new locations across the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region in addition to the donation bins currently available at 17 local Subaru retailers and at Subaru Park. Donations will be accepted through April 3, 2026, and items should include new or gently used cleats, soccer balls, shin guards, goalie gloves, or other soccer-specific equipment in adherence with Leveling the Playing Field donation standards.
To launch the expanded initiative, Subaru and the Philadelphia Union will host an employee volunteer day at Leveling the Playing Field's Philadelphia warehouse. Volunteers will sort through donated sports gear collected from Subaru Park and other Gear for Good drop-off locations to make space for new donations. Union defender Frankie Westfield will participate in the volunteer event, highlighting his personal connection to the cause through his experience playing soccer as a youth in Northeast Philadelphia and his journey to joining the MLS team. In addition, Subaru will hold a National Soccer Day employee gear drive on July 28 at its Camden, NJ headquarters.
Frankie Westfield, Defender, Philadelphia Union: "Soccer has the power to unite communities, inspire individuals, and bring people together around the world. I'm proud to join Subaru and represent the Philadelphia Union in support of this initiative, helping make the game more accessible for families and giving more kids the chance to play, just like I did."
Community members across the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey area are encouraged to participate by donating new or gently used soccer gear for a chance to win a variety of prizes, including a grand prize trip to the 2026 MLS All-Star Weekend. The Gear for Good Sweepstakes (official rules) is open to legal U.S. residents at least 18 years of age who reside within a seventy-five-mile radius of Subaru Park.
This initiative will help provide donated soccer equipment to over 100 unique youth programs, giving more kids access to the equipment they need to join teams, stay active, and enjoy the game. While not all donated items will go to the same number of recipient organizations, any surplus will be shared with additional beneficiary programs during the distribution window.
Editor's Note: Don't get me wrong, anything to help is great. Consider the size of both the team and the car company, did they leave a few zeros off the pieces of soccer gear to give away? Without solicitation, the New York Cosmos game me over 10% of this number in one donation, in one day we dropped off vaious items to a local youth soccer club, far more items than they are setting as their goal, many times that in PPP in just a few hours. I cannot wait for the glad handing once they achive such a lofty goal.