Helping Hands for Valencia's Flood-Affected Sport Centers
The FC Barcelona Foundation is stepping up with real action to aid the recovery of sports facilities in Benetússer, Catarroja, and Paiporta, areas severely impacted by the DANA floods of October 2024. This deadly weather event claimed 227 lives and left a trail of destruction, particularly affecting community infrastructure like sports centers that are crucial for the towns' vibrancy.
An influential delegation, comprising Barça's president Joan Laporta, vice-president Elena Fort, and the Foundation's director, Dr. Marta Segú, visited the affected Valencian communities on February 6, 2025. Their mission was to personally gauge the extent of damage and strategize the best avenues for effective restoration. This move underscores the club's commitment to not just sports, but community welfare, demonstrating solidarity with those hit hardest by the floods.
Funding Sources and Future Aspirations
The planned restoration projects will breathe new life into the municipal sports centers in Benetússer and Catarroja, along with the notably impacted El Terrer sports ground in Paiporta. This ambitious effort is not only backed by the FC Barcelona Foundation’s own reserves but is also supported by a successful online charity auction. This auction, featuring match-worn kits from recent games, has remarkably raised €90,000.
Moreover, the initiative's fundraising continues through the Row 0 Support Fund and Bizum donations, specifically using the code 10758. This blend of funding sources highlights a cohesive community effort to bring back these essential sports facilities.
Beyond just reconstruction, the Foundation places significant emphasis on the long-term recuperation of these towns. Their goal is to ensure children have the opportunity to safely engage in outdoor activities once more, providing a much-needed boost to their mental and physical health. This objective is a perfect fit with the Foundation’s broader mission, which focuses on using the power of sport to foster social inclusion and protect children.
Restoring these facilities not only aims at facilitating sport for youth but also at rejuvenating the spirit of communities that thrive on shared activities and sportsmanship. This vital step forward reflects FC Barcelona's dedication to using its platform and resources to drive positive change, promoting healing through the shared joys of sport.
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