Club teams up with neighborhood pubs to support local students facing food insecurity across Brooklyn
Brooklyn, N.Y., Nov. 18, 2025 – Brooklyn Football Club (Brooklyn FC) today announced the launch of the Brooklyn FC Bar Program, a new initiative that turns neighborhood pubs into hubs for community good through soccer. Its first activation, the Holiday Food Drive, supports local schools and families facing food insecurity through December 2025.
Beginning this month, fans can donate nonperishable food items at participating bars across the Brooklyn FC Bar Program or make a monetary contribution online. Food collected through the program will be distributed by Grandma’s Love, Inc. to schools in the same neighborhoods as the bars, ensuring that support goes directly to children and families in the local community.
“Brooklyn FC belongs to Brooklyn, and that means standing up for our neighbors, not just on matchday but every day,” said Dave Barry, president of Brooklyn FC. “Our bar partners are already places where people gather to watch the game and see friends. Now they are also places where fans can make a real, tangible difference for kids in their own neighborhoods.”
Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable items such as pasta, sauce, white rice, beans, cereal, canned tuna, canned vegetables and peanut butter and jelly to donation bins placed at participating bars. Each bar will help promote the drive to its regulars and local community. Once bins are full, officers from Brooklyn FC, volunteers from Grandma’s Love or staff from the bars will deliver the food to nearby schools that partner with the charity.
In addition to supporting local families, Brooklyn FC plans to introduce special experiences and benefits for bar patrons who participate in the drive. During a recent pilot effort, fans who donated at bar program locations received an exclusive on-field ticketing opportunity for Brooklyn FC’s home match against Lexington SC. The club is preparing similar benefits for bar patrons, food donors and attendees at future charity events, which will be announced by bar partners and charities throughout the holiday season.
“People support their communities when they stop by a local pub,” said Remy Lupica, Brooklyn FC’s Director of Fan Experience. “The owners, managers and staff are locals who work tirelessly to keep a welcoming space open for everyone. By dropping a few items in the bin when they grab a pint, our fans are both supporting the bars they love and helping feed kids they may walk past every day on their own block.”
Grandma’s Love, Inc., a Brooklyn based nonprofit, works with schools to provide children at risk of hunger with food and literacy materials over weekends and school breaks. The organization will coordinate with Brooklyn FC and participating bars to deliver donations to schools in low income and at risk neighborhoods in Brooklyn and across New York City.
“Brooklyn is full of generous people who want to help, and this partnership gives them a simple way to do it,” said Theresa Monforte Caraballo, founder of Grandma’s Love, Inc. “When fans bring food to their local bar, they are helping a child go to school on Monday with enough to eat and a better chance to learn. That kind of support stays with a family long after the final whistle.”
The Brooklyn FC Bar Program includes 14 neighborhood bars across Brooklyn in its initial phase, with more to join during the winter and spring. Participating locations include Berry Park in Williamsburg, Highbury Pub in Ditmas Park, and Boardwalk Beer Garden in Brighton Beach. A full list and map of Bar Program partners is available here. Bars interested in joining future community initiatives can submit their information at barprogram@brooklynfootballclub.com.
The Bar Program Holiday Food Drive is the first in a series of community focused initiatives tied to the Brooklyn FC Bar Program. Later this season, the club and its partners expect to introduce additional programs, including featured watch experiences, giveaways and collaborations that will further celebrate Brooklyn’s pub culture and community spirit.
About Brooklyn Football Club
Brooklyn Football Club is the borough’s professional soccer club, competing in the United Soccer League ecosystem. The club’s women’s team plays in the Gainbridge Super League, the top tier of U.S. women’s soccer, while the men’s team will debut in the USL Championship in 2026. United by a commitment to community, culture, and competitive excellence, Brooklyn FC represents the global game with local heart. Learn more at brooklynfootballclub.com.
About Grandma’s Love, Inc.
Grandma’s Love, Inc. is a Brooklyn-founded 501(c)(3) combating childhood hunger and promoting literacy across New York City. Founded in 2015 by Theresa Monforte-Caraballo, the nonprofit partners with local schools to provide weekend and non-school-week food support and age-appropriate books. Programs include discreet backpack food distributions, book-access initiatives, and school-based outreach.
Media Contact:
West of Fairfax for Brooklyn FC
bkfc@westof.co
