NFL/LISC FOUNDATION GRASSROOTS PROGRAM AND SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS ANNOUNCE COMPLETION OF RABOBANK STADIUM AT THE SALINAS SPORTS COMPLEX

December 10, 2013

The NFL/LISC Foundation Grassroots program and the San Francisco 49ers are pleased to announce the completion of the first football season at Rabobank Stadium on Friday December 13, 2013 at 6:30pm. Representatives from the San Francisco 49ers, LISC and Public Recreation Unlimited will be present for a special ceremony prior to the Monterey County All Star Football game. The project was initiated by Public Recreation Unlimited through a grant of $200,000 from LISC and the San Francisco 49ers as part of the National Football League Foundation Grassroots Program, which now brings the total to over $1,000,000 in youth related grants facilitated by the 49ers in less than a decade.

The grant, awarded by the 49ers, the NFL Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), was combined with over $9.3 million private donations. Rabobank Stadium at the Salinas Sports Complex serves as a home to youth, high school and junior college football.

“We are absolutely thrilled to team with the NFL Foundation Grassroots Program and LISC to bring this initiative to life,” said John York, chairman of the 49ers Foundation and co-chairman of the 49ers. “The brand-new Rabobank Stadium at the Salinas Sports Complex will enhance the community and provide an improved venue for enjoying physical activity.”

The new field will offer a range of athletic programming for the community including NFL PLAY 60 activities and tackle and flag football leagues. It will also serve as a physical education site for the Boys & Girls Club of Monterey County Salinas unit.

“We are delighted that this new field will provide a safe place to play to thousands of children, youth and families in Salinas,” said Margaret Gee, Executive Director of Bay Area LISC. “This is our first field in Salinas and we are thrilled to help provide more recreational opportunities to promote active and healthy lifestyles in this community.”

The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program, a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC, the nation’s leading community development support corporation, has resulted in the construction or renovation of 273 football fields nationwide in the past 12 years. During that time, the NFL Foundation has granted more than $35 million to revitalize playing fields in underserved neighborhoods. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.

LISC identifies local, nonprofit, neighborhood-based agencies which have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and parks in underserved neighborhoods. Through the program, the local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their neighborhoods. The local agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields. ”Our focus at LISC is on building sustainable communities – good places to live, work, do business and raise families,” said Michael Rubinger, LISC president and CEO. “Developing recreational opportunities is a key part of that, and the NFL Foundation has been a committed partner in making it happen.”

About the NFL Foundation
The National Football League Foundation (NFL Foundation) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of sports, youth football and the communities in which we live. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health and safety of athletes, youth football, and the communities which support our game.

About LISC
LISC combines corporate, government, and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised $12 billion to build or rehab 289,000 affordable homes and develop 46 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space nationwide. LISC support has leveraged nearly $40 billion in total development activity. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.

About the San Francisco 49ers Foundation
The San Francisco 49ers Foundation is the non-profit community funding extension of the San Francisco 49ers. Now in its 21st year, the 49ers Foundation supports development programs for underserved youth that keep them, “Safe, On Track, and In School.” The San Francisco 49ers are promoting RESPECT for schools and community by donating a significant portion of the foundation’s funding toward family violence prevention programs and activities that teach youth leadership and respect. Since 1992, the Foundation has donated over $20 million to support non-profits, including $2.9 million in 2012.

About Public Recreation Unlimited
Public Recreation Unlimited is a 501C3 charitable non-profit organization that was formed in 1970 raise funds from the public in order to place needed improvements on property devoted to recreational purposes. Since its inception, this group has raised millions of dollars for projects in Sherwood Park such as the renovation and reconstruction of the Rodeo Grounds into today’s multi-use Salinas Sports Complex that includes not only the arena, but softball fields, an indoor soccer facility and more. Public Recreation Unlimited is wrapping up a major fundraising campaign to collect over $9 million dollars to build a state of the art stadium to house high school football, soccer and more. Youth in the Salinas Valley will benefit tremendously from the efforts of Public Recreation Unlimited.

Contacts: Marsha Murrington, Bay Area LISC 415.397.7322 x 26

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