CVS Health, Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation Redevelop Soccer Pitch to Promote Youth Health and Community Wellness
CVS Health® has announced the redevelopment of a mini soccer pitch at Orchards Elementary School in Vancouver, Washington, in partnership with Seattle Reign FC and the club’s charitable arm, RAVE Foundation. The newly renovated pitch is now open to students, families and the surrounding community, providing an accessible and welcoming environment where young people can participate in physical activity, build social connections and experience the benefits of sport.
The project represents another step in CVS Health’s broader efforts to support community health and youth wellbeing through investments that encourage active lifestyles. It also expands the company’s ongoing relationship with Seattle Reign FC, a partnership announced earlier in the year that focuses on using the reach of professional women’s soccer to help advance healthier individuals and stronger communities.
By bringing a high-quality recreational facility directly to an elementary school, the collaboration aims to make opportunities for physical activity more accessible to children. The new mini-pitch is designed not only as a place for students to play soccer, but also as a community resource that can support health, wellness and youth development initiatives over time.
Creating More Opportunities for Youth to Be Active
For children and young people, access to safe spaces for recreation can play an important role in supporting healthy lifestyles. The Orchards Elementary mini-pitch provides students with a dedicated location where they can participate in soccer and other physical activities in a welcoming community environment.
CVS Health Region Director Amoos Bajwa highlighted the importance of giving children opportunities to stay active while developing connections with their peers and families.
“Every child deserves opportunities to be active, connect with others and experience the benefits of play,” Bajwa said. The company views the new mini-pitch as an investment in youth wellbeing and a way to encourage healthy habits while strengthening relationships within the local community.
The project reflects a broader understanding of community health that extends beyond traditional healthcare services. Physical activity, social interaction and access to community spaces can all contribute to overall wellbeing. By supporting recreational infrastructure, CVS Health and its partners are seeking to address some of these factors at the community level.
The location at Orchards Elementary is particularly significant because it places the resource directly within a school environment. Students can use the facility as part of their everyday surroundings, while families and community organizations can also benefit from programming associated with the pitch.
Seattle Reign FC Brings Soccer Into the Community
Seattle Reign FC is contributing its professional sports platform and community reach to the initiative. Through the partnership with CVS Health and RAVE Foundation, the club is helping bring soccer opportunities beyond its professional stadium and into neighborhoods where children can engage with the sport.
Courtney Carter, Chief Revenue Officer of Seattle Reign FC, said the organization appreciated CVS Health’s investment in the mini-pitch and its commitment to creating opportunities for young people to play, connect and develop.
The partnership illustrates how professional sports organizations can work with corporate and nonprofit partners to extend their community impact. Rather than limiting engagement to professional matches, Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation are using soccer infrastructure and programming to connect directly with young people.
The mini-pitch can therefore serve as an entry point for children who may not otherwise have regular access to organized soccer facilities. It creates a setting where young people can participate regardless of whether they are already involved in competitive soccer.
For Seattle Reign FC, the initiative also reinforces the role of women’s professional soccer in community development. By connecting the club’s athletes, resources and brand with local youth programs, the partnership gives young people additional opportunities to engage with the sport and learn from professional players.
RAVE Foundation Expands Mini-Pitch Network
RAVE Foundation, the charitable arm of Seattle Reign FC, plays a central role in developing soccer facilities and expanding access to the game. The Orchards Elementary project marks the foundation’s 47th mini-pitch.
According to Midori Hobbs, Associate Executive Director of RAVE Foundation, the organization is working toward a broader statewide objective of investing in 52 mini-pitches by the end of 2026.
The initiative is intended to make soccer more accessible by creating places where children can play without the barriers that can sometimes accompany organized sports. Mini-pitches can provide relatively flexible spaces for recreation while also serving as locations for community events, educational activities and youth development programs.
The Orchards Elementary pitch is therefore part of a larger network rather than an isolated project. Its opening contributes to RAVE Foundation’s goal of increasing the number of community-based soccer facilities available to children.
The foundation’s involvement also creates opportunities for the facility to remain active beyond the initial redevelopment. Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation partners are expected to use the mini-pitch for health, wellness and youth development programming in the future.
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Marks the Opening
The official opening of the redeveloped facility was commemorated on Friday, September 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by representatives from the organizations involved in the project.
Seattle Reign FC star Jordyn Bugg joined representatives from CVS Health, RAVE Foundation, Orchards Elementary and other members of the community for the event.
Following the ribbon cutting, children and families were able to participate in free play and activities on the newly renovated pitch. The opening event provided an opportunity for students and community members to experience the facility while celebrating the collaboration behind its development.
The event also underscored the project’s community-focused nature. Rather than simply unveiling a newly improved athletic facility, the partners used the opening to introduce the pitch as an ongoing resource for local residents.
Future programming is expected to expand the facility’s role in the community. Health and wellness activities, youth development initiatives and soccer-related programming can provide additional opportunities for children and families to use the space.
Part of a Broader CVS Health Field Revitalization Commitment
The Orchards Elementary project forms part of CVS Health’s broader, multi-year commitment to field revitalization and community recreation.
The company has previously announced multi-use field redevelopment initiatives at Garfield Park Bridge Spot in Washington, D.C., and Pantera Park in Diamond Bar, California. These projects, along with the Orchards Elementary mini-pitch, demonstrate CVS Health’s strategy of supporting community infrastructure through partnerships connected to sport and physical activity.
The company’s collaboration with professional soccer organizations and community-focused foundations provides a framework for combining corporate investment with local programming.
The approach is also consistent with CVS Health’s broader community health strategy. The company has increasingly emphasized initiatives that address factors influencing health outside traditional clinical settings. Community spaces that encourage physical activity and social engagement can form part of those broader efforts.
For children, the availability of accessible recreational facilities may help create more opportunities to establish active habits at an early age. The mini-pitch can also provide schools and community organizations with a location for programming that brings children together around sport.
Supporting Community Health in Washington
CVS Health has emphasized its commitment to communities across Washington state. According to the company, its activities in the state generated approximately $1.4 billion in annual economic impact in 2024.
The company also reported providing more than $22.5 million in community support and supporting and sustaining more than 4,500 jobs across Washington during the same period.
These figures place the Orchards Elementary project within a wider pattern of CVS Health investment in the state. While the mini-pitch is a relatively focused community initiative, the company views projects of this type as part of its broader contribution to local communities.
The Vancouver project also demonstrates how corporate partnerships can combine economic, social and community objectives. CVS Health contributes financial and organizational support, Seattle Reign FC brings the visibility and resources of a professional sports organization, and RAVE Foundation provides community-focused expertise and infrastructure development.
Sport as a Platform for Wellness
The redevelopment of the Orchards Elementary soccer pitch highlights the growing role of sport in conversations about community wellbeing. Soccer can encourage physical activity while also creating opportunities for teamwork, communication and social interaction.
For young people, recreational spaces can provide an environment where these benefits occur naturally through play. The new pitch gives students a place to participate in soccer while also offering the broader community a venue for activities and programs.
The involvement of Seattle Reign FC adds another dimension by connecting young people with professional women’s soccer. Players and club representatives can serve as visible examples of athletic participation and achievement, potentially helping inspire children to become more involved in sport.
At the same time, RAVE Foundation’s community programming can help ensure that the facility remains focused on accessibility and long-term local impact.
Building Healthier and Stronger Communities
The partnership between CVS Health, Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation demonstrates how organizations from different sectors can collaborate around a shared community objective. The project combines healthcare-sector investment, professional sports engagement and nonprofit community development to create a resource for children and families.
The mini-pitch at Orchards Elementary is now positioned to become more than a renovated soccer field. Through ongoing programming and community activities, it can serve as a gathering place where students can play, families can connect and young people can participate in activities that promote physical and social wellbeing.
For CVS Health, the initiative extends its community investment strategy and strengthens its connection with Washington communities. For Seattle Reign FC, it creates another opportunity to bring professional soccer into the neighborhoods it serves. For RAVE Foundation, the project advances its goal of expanding access to free soccer facilities across the state.
With the Orchards Elementary pitch becoming RAVE Foundation’s 47th mini-pitch and the organization working toward its goal of 52 by the end of 2026, the project represents a significant milestone in the foundation’s statewide effort.
Ultimately, the redevelopment reflects a shared belief that healthier communities can be supported by creating more opportunities for children to move, play and connect. By investing in accessible recreational infrastructure and pairing it with ongoing programming, CVS Health, Seattle Reign FC and RAVE Foundation are seeking to make physical activity and community engagement a more visible and accessible part of everyday life for young people in Vancouver, Washington.
Source link: https://www.cvshealth.com/
