Illumination Fund Launches $10 Million Play To Thrive Initiative at the State of Soccer NY/NJ Summit

Initial Grants Support Youth Development, Mental Health, and Equity in Soccer Across New York City

NEW YORK, NY — October 10, 2025 — Today, at the Aspen Institute’s State of Soccer Summit, philanthropist Laurie M. Tisch announced Play to Thrive, a new $10 million multi-year youth sports and health initiative by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. The initiative will support organizations that use sports to improve youth mental health outcomes, expand access for underserved communities, and promote equity across New York City and beyond.

As the nation grapples with rising rates of youth anxiety, depression, loneliness, and chronic illness, research increasingly points to the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity. Sports and play promote not only physical health but also mental and emotional wellbeing. From playgrounds to public parks, they create space for connection, confidence, and joy. But access to sports is not equitable.

“Soccer is more than a game, it’s a powerful tool to foster inclusion, leadership, and community,” said Laurie M. Tisch, founder and president of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. “But far too many people are left on the sidelines, not because of talent or passion, but because of their zip code and obstacles like cost, infrastructure, and safety. Play to Thrive is about breaking down those barriers so that young people have the chance to thrive through sport.”

Ms. Tisch and her family are part of the ownership group of National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC and have seen the tremendous growth of women’s soccer as a driver of social impact. Building on that momentum, the Illumination Fund launches Play to Thrive with four soccer-related grants including:

• Playworks: A national nonprofit that provides research-backed training to teachers and staff to create positive play and recess experiences throughout the school year. This grant to Playworks for the new Elevate Play initiative will promote positive play, including soccer activities, in NYC and NJ public schools and provide professional development for staff as well as subsidized transportation for school communities to Gotham FC games. School visits and student engagement opportunities with Gotham FC players and staff will further amplify the partnership.

• Keep Her in the Game: Expanded support to nonprofit Girls Leadership in partnership with Gotham FC and Dove for year two of Keep Her in the Game which in its first year reached more than 1,700 adolescent girls. The program addresses the higher dropout rate that adolescent girls – especially those in urban communities – experience over boys by training coaches, resourcing parents and caregivers, and building excitement for the sport through direct engagement with Gotham FC players.” A new Youth Leadership Council is empowering girls to build confidence, voice, and agency.

• State of Soccer New York City/Northern New Jersey: Led by Project Play, an initiative of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, the State of Soccer report will be the first-ever Project Play report to focus on a single sport. Through an advisory council and youth-driven surveys, it will map the youth soccer landscape across New York City and Northern New Jersey, identifying assets, challenges, and opportunities. Report topics include access for girls, free play, youth voice in program design, coach development, and injury prevention. The report will offer data-driven recommendations to grow the game and ensure more youth have the chance to play. Findings will be released in spring 2026, ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium.

• Street Soccer USA: For the development of a Street Soccer Park, purpose built for youth development, which includes two soccer fields, lighting, and a learning center in Queens. The Park will create a safe and inclusive environment where youth can build skills, foster relationships and find purpose. The project focuses on young people facing poverty and housing instability, using Street Soccer USA’s social-emotional learning curriculum, integrating trauma-informed coaching and growth mindset strategies.

Expanding Equity and Well-being

“While our initial grants are focused on youth soccer,” said Kira Pritchard, senior program officer at the Illumination Fund, “Play to Thrive is about leveraging the power of all sports and using sport for good. It’s about making sure all youth have access to the physical, emotional, and mental health benefits of play.”

The State of Soccer Summit, where the announcement was made, convened national, state, and local leaders to explore how soccer can serve as a powerful tool for health, inclusion, and community. Participants included officials from the NYC Council, Gotham FC, Major League Soccer, U.S. Soccer, New Jersey Youth Soccer, and South Bronx United, among others.

“At Gotham FC, we believe soccer has the power to bring people together – it’s more than a team, it’s a pillar of our community,” said Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Governor of Gotham FC. “Through partnerships like the Illumination Fund’s Play to Thrive, we’re proud to create more access and opportunity so that every young person can experience the confidence, connection, and sense of belonging that the game inspires.”

The Aspen Institute’s Project Play is leading the year-long research effort behind the State of Soccer report. The report will explore barriers to play, particularly for girls and BIPOC youth, and investigate topics like coaching, free play, youth voice, and access to safe fields. A survey of youth soccer players is open through November 14 and will inform the final recommendations.

From Momentum to Movement

The Play to Thrive initiative builds on the Illumination Fund’s nationally recognized Arts in Health initiative, launched in 2018 to address mental health stigma, trauma, and aging-related illness through the arts. “Sports and the arts may look different,” Ms. Tisch noted, “but they both create spaces for belonging, joy, and resilience. They’re about people, not performance.”

“With the FIFA World Cup coming to our region in 2026, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity, not just to host an international event, but to leave a legacy,” said Ms. Tisch. “Through Play to Thrive, we’re committed to partnering with organizations that use sports to promote equity, mental health, and opportunity for everyone, not just in stadiums, but in schoolyards and communities across New York City. Let’s build a future where everyone has the chance to play, grow, and belong.”