It was a day of firsts! 

Thanks to the generosity of Playworks, a cohort of LINC’s Very Involved Parents (VIPs) and their families enjoyed an exclusive FIFA World Cup Semifinal Watch Party. 

On Wednesday, July 15, it was a scorching hot day in New York City. It was also the day that the first-ever National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular-season match was played inside New York City, and the first women’s sporting event hosted at the iconic Citi Field.  

This “Queens Classic” included a slew of pre-game festivities with free food, live music, and t-shirts, and an historic moment for LINC’s VIPs. The teams, Gotham FC and Washington Spirit, broke the record for a women’s sporting event in NYC with 42,175 fans in attendance. 

“This was great and an experience that I would not have been able to give them without you,” said Gladys Gomez, LINC VIP and former staff member from The Bronx who brought her two children to the game. 

LINC VIPs like Gladys are literacy advocates in their neighborhoods. They deliver community reading programs, spread LINC’s mission, and promote positive reading habits with other families. They know that as caregivers, they are powerful, and as their children’s first teacher, they can shape their children’s future and the futures of others in their community.

Thank you to Playworks for this tremendous opportunity for culture, celebration, and soccer. It was a first for many of LINC families and a day they will never forget. 

To learn more about LINC’s VIP program, contact Jessica Rogel-Pohl at jrogel@lincnyc.org.