Pro Athlete Luke Sassano Looks to Score a Goal in Race For A Cause

We announced a partnership with Athletes for Hope and Luke Sassano, defensive midfielder for the New YorkRed Bulls, today. The partnership is part of Athletes for Hope's First Annual Who Gives? Racing for a Cause campaign,which begins today and runs through early January 2010.

Sassano will help to raise support for oneof CHF's many programs in Rwanda, specifically focused on providing educationalsupport for more than 45,000 orphaned and vulnerable children.

Our mission is to work in some of thepoorest areas of the world, serving as a catalyst forlong-lasting positive change in low- to moderate-income communities. In Rwanda, CHF isworking to provide school fees and supplies, nutritional and psychosocialsupport, and vocational training for at-risk children. Additionally, CHF willbe facilitating the development of parent-teacher associations (PTA) as well asDrop Out Prevention Response (DOPR) teams as part of its promotion of UNICEFand the Government of Rwanda's Child Friendly Schools (CFS) Initiative.

"Iam very excited and honored to be working with CHF International and Athletes for Hope on the Racing for aCause campaign," says Luke Sassano. "Workingwith CHF really appealed to me personally because of the many youth projectsthey have around the world. The initiative to get Rwandan child-headedhouseholds and orphans into local schools can help to ensure that their lives,which have been affected by genocide and HIV, can turn in a positive direction."

The Who Gives? Racing for a Cause challengeis the second phase of a unique 3-part social media and engagement campaign andis the largest virtual competition for charity featuring professional athletes. Sassano is a member of Athletes for Hope and is racing against 55 other athletes includingAthletes for Hope Founders Mia Hamm,Alonzo Mourning, and Muhammad Ali. Toview the leader board and to make a donation, visit http://www.globalgiving.org/leaderboards/athletes-for-hope.

The number of children needing support forschool materials and uniforms far exceeds what CHF alone can provide. Withoutmaterials or a proper uniform, even a child who has found the money to payschool fees may not be able to attend school. Funds raised by Sassano throughthe Racing for a Cause campaign and by public supporters on GlobalGiving.com willallow more children to access education, will encourage the development ofchild-friendly buildings, and will help to motivate PTAs, DOPR teams and schoolauthorities as they navigate their newly-formed roles as community advocates.

"I personally know how important andinvaluable a child's education is," says Sassano. "A simple elementary and high schooleducation will give these children the knowledge and confidence that can givethem opportunities that they could have only dreamed of before.  Iam truly inspired by the initiatives and actions of CHF Internationaland I cannot wait to begin the Athletesfor Hope Racing for a Cause Campaign."