2026 Best Community Improvement Program category win marks a milestone on the Foundation’s fifth U.S. Chamber nomination, honoring the P.L.A.Y.S. Program’s work supporting youth across Chicago
CHICAGO (Oct. 28, 2026) — Chicago Fire FC today announced that the Chicago Fire Foundation has earned its first win for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Corporate Citizenship Awards, in the 2026 Best Community Improvement Program category. The award recognizes the Foundation’s P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth, Soccer) Program and marks a breakthrough on its fifth nomination for the prestigious national recognition.
The win follows the Foundation’s September announcement that it had been named a finalist, and now brings further recognition to a program that currently reaches more than 70 Chicago Public Schools. The "Citizens Awards" honor businesses for their leadership in solving the world’s biggest challenges, recognizing the most innovative and impactful initiatives that leverage a company’s talent, resources, and expertise to improve communities.
“This award is a reminder of the incredible work behind the Chicago Fire Foundation and our P.L.A.Y.S. Program,” said Jessica Yavitz, Chicago Fire Foundation Executive Director and Chicago Fire FC Vice President of Community Relations. “While our first win in this category is a proud moment, what makes this meaningful is the Foundation’s impact on Chicago students as they learn life skills through soccer. We’re honored to celebrate the people and passion behind the Foundation and we look forward to serving more youth across Chicago’s under-resourced communities and helping to improve their greater life chances.”
At the center of the award-winning work is a simple connection between soccer and social-emotional learning (SEL). The P.L.A.Y.S. Program pairs soccer instruction with lessons in goal setting, communication, cooperation and emotional control, helping elementary school students practice skills they can use beyond the pitch. Since its launch in 2013, the program has engaged more than 10,000 young people in more than 500,000 hours of soccer. The Foundation’s first Citizens Award adds a new milestone to that history, especially as it prepares for an exciting next chapter. A new multiyear partnership with McDonald’s is intended to expand P.L.A.Y.S. to more than 280 Chicago Public Schools and reach more than 125,000 students over time. That previously announced expansion provides the backdrop to this year’s award as the program earns national recognition while working toward broader access for Chicago’s school communities.
The 2026 Citizens Awards winners were revealed during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Solves Conference on October 27-28, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
For more information about the award and recognition of the Chicago Fire Foundation, visit uschamberfoundation.org/citizens-awards.
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About Chicago Fire Football Club
Chicago Fire Football Club (Chicago Fire FC) is a professional soccer club that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the league’s first expansion teams – founded on Oct. 8, 1997 (the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire) – the Club has earned six major domestic trophies, including four U.S. Open Cups and the 2003 Supporters’ Shield, and returned to the playoffs in 2025, winning its first postseason match since 2009.
The Club recently began construction on its privately-funded, soccer-specific stadium, McDonald’s Park, in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, a transformational new home set to open in 2028. The team currently plays at historic Soldier Field and trains at Chicago’s Endeavor Health Performance Center, a $100 million state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2025.
The Club’s development pathway includes Chicago Fire II, which competes in MLS NEXT Pro, and the Chicago Fire Academy, featuring five teams from U-13 to U-18. Off the field, the Chicago Fire Foundation – internationally recognized, including as ESPN’s 2019 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year – has made significant contributions to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth throughout Chicagoland, providing more than $10 million back to the community. For more information, visit chicagofirefc.com.
About U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation harnesses the power of business to create solutions for the good of America and the world. We anticipate, develop, and deploy solutions to challenges facing communities—today and tomorrow.
