The Real Madrid Foundation gives hope to more than 1,500 children
The main event of the campaign ‘At Christmas, no child without a present’ was held at Real Madrid City with Casillas, Felipe Reyes, Arbeloa and representatives from the Madrid Regional government in attendance.
The Real Madrid Foundation celebrated another edition of its annual charity campaign 'At Christmas, no child without a present' with an emotional event at Real Madrid City. This project, which has been running for almost two decades, has this year brought gifts and hope to more than 1,500 children in hospitals and children's homes across the Madrid region.
This special event was attended by, among others, the Foundation’s Deputy Director General Iker Casillas, Real Madrid ambassadors Felipe Reyes and Álvaro Arbeloa and prominent representatives from the Madrid Regional government such as Pablo Gómez-Tavira (Deputy Minister for Family, Youth and Social Affairs) Silvia Valmaña (Director General for Childhood, Family and Birth Promotion) and Ana Cristina Gómez Aparicio (Deputy Director General for Child Protection). Also present were representatives from partnering organisations that made the initiative possible, as well as the true protagonists of the day: the children who will receive these gifts.
Casillas: “At the Foundation, we work so that the children have reasons to smile”.
During the event, Iker Casillas spoke to those present saying “Christmas reminds us the value of sharing and at the Real Madrid Foundation, we work so that all children have something to smile about. You are part of our great Real Madrid family and we will always offer you support and hope. Felipe Reyes and Álvaro Arbeloa also highlighted the Foundation's commitment to the values that sport represents, emphasising how this initiative symbolises solidarity and teamwork.
The campaign began on 13 December with the visit of first-team players from both Real Madrid ‘s football and basketball teams to hospitals in the Community of Madrid, where the Real Madrid Foundation has been running the Basketball in Hospitals programme since 2003. More than 1,000 gifts were handed out in this first phase, bringing joy and respite for the hospitalised children. In the second phase, more than 500 additional gifts were given out to children's homes and shelters across the region. These residences, which participate in the Foundation's permanent socio-sports programmes, benefited from these charity offerings that promote values such as companionship, self-improvement and hope.
Committed collaborators
These amazing acts have been possible thanks to the support of numerous organiations, including El Corte Inglés, LEGO, CYP Brands, Arditex, Grupo Erik, Kids Licensing, La Casa de las Carcasas, Project Rogers JLK, Vulcanizados Marpen and Vive La Fête Inc. Their generous support was key to the Foundation being able to reach so many children on these important dates.
At Christmas, No Child Without a Present not only gives out gifts, but also transmits the fundamental values of Real Madrid and its Foundation: solidarity, hope, joy and the spirit of self-improvement. The central event of the campaign reaffirms the club's commitment to society, using sport as an engine for integration, education and positive transformation.