Uniqlo is opening its first permanent community hub in the U.S., a soccer park and learning center in Altadena, Calif., designed to support families recovering from the Los Angeles wildfires.
Developed in partnership with nonprofit Street Soccer USA, the Uniqlo Street Soccer Park & Learning Center features two turf soccer fields and a classroom housed in a repurposed shipping container. The site, located at St. Elizabeth Parish School, will provide free year-round programming including soccer, mentorship, homework support, financial literacy and digital skills. Street Soccer USA expects the facility to serve about 1,000 young people in its first year.
The project continues a partnership that began in 2013, when Uniqlo became Street Soccer USA’s official apparel sponsor. The retailer has previously supported the organization through clothing donations, volunteer programs and community events.
“Following the Los Angeles wildfires, we saw a clear need for spaces where young people and families could safely come together, rebuild routines, and feel supported,” Fuminori Adachi, chief executive officer of Uniqlo USA, told WWD. “Helping create a permanent hub in Altadena allows our partnership to move beyond individual programs and provide something the community can use every day.”
The opening also forms part of parent company Fast Retailing’s pledge of up to $2 million in funding and clothing following the L.A. wildfires.
The Uniqlo Street Soccer Park & Learning Center in Altadena, Calif.
“Clothing and financial assistance are important in the early stages, but communities also need places, programs, and partnerships that continue to serve people after the initial crisis has passed,” Adachi said.
According to the company, conversations with community leaders and educators identified rebuilding community spaces and expanding educational opportunities as key priorities after the fires. Altadena, which suffered extensive damage during the Eaton Fire, emerged as a location because of the community’s need and St. Elizabeth Parish School’s long-standing role as a neighborhood gathering place.
Adachi said success will be measured by how the space is used over time: “If children are returning regularly, families feel welcome, and local partners see the space as a resource, then we will know it is making an impact. The goal is not visibility for its own sake, but creating something that becomes part of the community’s everyday life.”
The company will use the Altadena hub as a learning model before considering expansion elsewhere.
“Right now, our priority is making sure the Altadena park succeeds and serves the community well,” Adachi said. “If this model proves effective, and if there is a clear local need, we would be open to exploring similar efforts in other markets, in coordination with longtime partners like Street Soccer.”
