CHICAGO (Aug. 22, 2018) – U.S. Soccer is partnering with U.S. Women’s National Team forward Megan Rapinoe and the Shasta Regional Community Foundation to raise awareness and funds for relief efforts to aid the victims of the Carr Fire that severely affected a large swath of Northern California.

Rapinoe, who has 140 caps and 38 goals for the USA, is a native of Redding, California, a town located 250 miles north of San Jose in an area heavily impacted by the Carr Fire. The Carr Fire, which is 90 percent contained, began west of the Redding area on July 23, 2018. At the peak of evacuations, more than 35,000 people were displaced (nearly 20 percent of Shasta County’s population).

U.S. Soccer will support the Shasta Regional Community Foundation on www.ussoccer.com, U.S. Soccer social media channels, in-stadium public address announcements and LED field boards for both games against Chile in California, which includes the Aug. 31 match at StubHub Center in Carson. Fans are encouraged to donate at ussoccer.com/CarrFund. One hundred percent of the donations (excluding online credit card processing fees) will go to the Carr Community Fund for the Carr Fire recovery efforts.

In addition, at the U.S. Women’s National Team match in San Jose on Sept. 4, U.S. Soccer will host a group from the Redding area who were impacted by the fire, and honor a first responder, representing all those who battled the blaze that was the seventh largest in California history and most destructive in Shasta County history.

“This disaster hit really close to home, literally and in my heart, so I urge people to join me in these fundraising efforts and I send my sincere thanks to everyone who has already donated to help and those who will,” Rapinoe said. “The amount of damage done has set this up to be a long-term recovery and it means a lot to partner with U.S. Soccer and the Shasta Regional Community Foundation to really make a difference in people’s lives long after the fire has been totally extinguished.”

All told, the fire has burned more than 230,000 acres, destroying 1,079 residences, 22 commercial structures, and 503 outbuildings. Additionally, 190 residences, 26 commercial structures and 63 outbuildings were damaged. Eight deaths have been linked to the fire, including three firefighters.

When a disaster strikes, on average, 70 percent of donations are directed to immediate relief and a significantly smaller portion goes to recovery and rebuilding, a process that can take many years. Long after media attention has shifted, Shasta Regional Community Foundation will provide support to address the critical long-term needs of local-area nonprofits, public entities and the individuals they serve.

Created by and for the people of Shasta and Siskiyou counties, Shasta Regional Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization working to enhance the quality of life for all people in the North State region.

The Community Foundation services the region by building permanent endowments, addressing needs through grantmaking and by providing community leadership.