Detroit City FC and Lyft are proud to announce a collaboration in celebration of Pride Month and in support of the Ruth Ellis Center of Detroit.
Through the Northern Guard Supporters’ Prideraiser campaign, Lyft will donate $1 for every ride to or from Detroit City FC’s home matches in the month of June. The proceeds raised at DCFC matches will benefit the Ruth Ellis Center.
Lyft will also donate $1 per ride taken to “Catfight for the Crown,” an annual Ruth Ellis Center Fundraiser on June 7th at the Fillmore Detroit.
Detroit City FC and its supporters have been strong advocates of the LGBTQ community since the club’s start. In 2014, DCFC became the first sports team in the United States to wear an LGBTQ equality themed jersey in a competitive match as a fundraiser for Ruth Ellis Center and the You Can Play campaign.
In 2017, supporters of Detroit City FC and Chattanooga FC launched an initiative called Prideraiser, which raises money for LGBTQ charities in their respective communities during the month of June. Detroit City FC supporters, the Northern Guard Supporters, designated the Ruth Ellis Center as their local partner.
“At Lyft, one of our core values is to ‘be yourself.’ We’re incredibly excited to celebrate and acknowledge the many important eras, people, moments and events that have led to this celebration and show our support for the LGBTQ+ community alongside Detroit City FC,” said Elliot Darvick, General Manager of Lyft Detroit. “Ruth Ellis Center is a trailblazing organization, we’re so proud to be a supporter and to offer the opportunity for all of our Detroit riders to support its mission this June.”
“At the core of our organization is a value of inclusivity and being welcoming,” said Sean Mann, CEO and co-owner of Detroit City FC. “We’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for the Ruth Ellis Center, and the work they do with vulnerable members of our community that are pushed to the fringes of our society. We’re very proud of our supporters for taking this initiative across the country, and excited to have a partner like Lyft that supports these values.”
“The legacy of Ruth Ellis, our namesake, continues to impact the lives of hundreds of LGBTQ youth each and every year because of collaborations like this one,” said Mark Erwin-McCormick, Director of Development and Advancement of Ruth Ellis Center. “We are truly grateful for our friends at Detroit City FC, the Northern Guard Supporters, and Lyft for their extraordinary vision, advocacy, and generosity.”
Detroit’s next home match is Sunday, June 2 at 5:00 PM against FC Columbus. Tickets for the match at Keyworth Stadium are $12 online and can be purchased at tickets.https://www.detcityfc.com.
The campaign will conclude with DCFC’s match on June 30th against Toledo Villa, with a special halftime performance by the youth of Ruth Ellis Center.
ABOUT RUTH ELLIS CENTER: Incorporated in 1999, Ruth Ellis Center is a youth social services agency with a mission “to provide short-term and long-term residential safe space and support services for runaway, homeless and at-risk lesbian, gay, bi-attractional, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. What began as a 500-square-foot safe space in Highland Park, MI almost twenty years ago has evolved into a multi-faceted organization, operating three facilities in Highland Park and Detroit. The Center provides outreach and safety-net services, integrated primary & behavioral health care services and case management, skill building workshops, HIV prevention programs, and family preservation programming; as well as the operation of the only State licensed and contracted residential foster care program specifically for LGBTQ youth in the Midwest, Ruth’s House located a short drive from the Center in Detroit.
ABOUT PRIDERAISER: Accidentally founded in 2017, Prideraiser is a coalition of independent soccer supporters that raise money for LGBTQ+ causes every June. The Prideraiser website enables soccer fans to pledge per goal their team scores, culminating in donations to an LGBTQ+ organization in their community at the end of the campaign. Prideraiser is dedicated to cultivating welcoming, inclusive soccer communities and, to date, has helped raise more than $62 Thousand and has introduced the beautiful game to countless new fans. For 2019, Prideraiser will include over 40 campaigns in cities in the United States and Canada. Learn more at prideraiser.org
ABOUT DETROIT CITY FC: Detroit City FC is a grassroots football club representing the city in a positive light, and building community through the beautiful game. A member of the National Premier Soccer League since 2012, Detroit City has established itself as one of the most talked about soccer teams in North America. Learn more at https://www.detcityfc.com.
