Sporting KC and Compass Minerals team up for annual teddy bear giveaway for local kids

This year’s expanded initiative, jointly announced on National Teddy Bear Day, will feature the following special events:

• Sporting Kansas City captain Johnny Russell and the club’s newest signing Joaquin Fernandez will make a special appearance at Children’s Mercy Kansas City on Tuesday, Sept. 10 to visit with pediatric patients and donate 300 teddy bears to the hospital as part of the team’s monthly play dates in partnership with The Victory Project.

• Sporting Kansas City’s annual Kick Childhood Cancer match on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Children’s Mercy Park will feature a teddy bear giveaway for the first 1,500 children ages 12 and under courtesy of title night partner Compass Minerals.

• Sporting Kansas City staff will join the club’s mascot and a Sporting KC II player to hand out 200 teddy bears at Children Mercy Kansas City’s Dream Big Day – an event sponsored by Compass Minerals, Sporting KC and The Victory Project – in Crown Center Square on Saturday, Sept. 21 to support patients and families.

Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Compass Minerals has actively supported numerous community initiatives since the company’s multi-faceted partnership with Sporting began in 2018. The official plant nutrition and salt provider of Sporting Kansas City and the Sporting Club Network, Compass Minerals serves as an associate partner of The Victory Project and the naming rights partner for Sporting KC’s world-class training facility, Compass Minerals National Performance Center, and the nearby youth soccer complex, Compass Minerals Sporting Fields, in Kansas City, Kansas.

Launched by Sporting Kansas City in 2013, The Victory Project’s mission is to celebrate children’s victories, big or small, through philanthropic initiatives supporting childhood cancer and access to soccer. Through numerous events and programs, The Victory Project is dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of children battling cancer, providing special experiences and opportunities to kids with disabilities and creating a more welcoming soccer environment for local youth.

In conjunction with MLS WORKS, all Kick Childhood Cancer matches in the month of September across Major League Soccer will feature a commemorative adidas match ball, gold corner flags, goal nets and jersey patches as well as pre-match tops and captain’s armbands worn by players to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research and treatment. Kick Childhood Cancer content also continues to be featured on social and digital channels across Major League Soccer and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Sporting’s annual Kick Childhood Cancer match, presented by Compass Minerals, will be held at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Children’s Mercy Park and tickets are available online at SeatGeek, including the Coca-Cola Friends & Family 4 Pack. As part of the festivities, past Victory Kids are invited to return to Children’s Mercy Park for a special matchday that will include a pre-match tailgate and halftime recognition as well as on-field experiences including the pre-match coin toss.