Racheal Kundananji Nominated for Lauren Holiday Impact Award for Her Community Work in the Bay Area and Zambia

14.05.2025 | Football DNA ⚽️

Bay FC's Racheal Kundananji had reportedly been recognized as a nominee for the prestigious Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide. The award aims to highlight NWSL players who are actively making a positive impact in their communities and honors the legacy of excellence and service exemplified by Lauren Holiday—a two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee.

According to Bay FC, Kundananji’s nomination celebrated her contributions to both the Bay Area and her native Zambia, with a special partnership formed with Soccer Without Borders (SWB). Mariyam Muhammad, Program Coordinator at SWB, had expressed gratitude, saying that the organization was honored to have been chosen by Kundananji as her nonprofit partner for the award. Muhammad had stated that at SWB, they believed in the power of soccer to create lasting, positive change. She had added that Kundananji’s commitment to inclusion and community closely aligned with their mission of empowering underserved youth with tools to overcome adversity and thrive. Together, she said, they were helping build environments where young people felt a sense of belonging, discovered their potential, and grew into leaders both on and off the field.

The Lauren Holiday Impact Award winner will be selected at the end of the NWSL season by a panel that includes Holiday herself and representatives from Nationwide, the NWSL, the NWSL Players Association, and the NWSL Media Association. The award comes with a $50,000 donation to a charity of the winner's choice. The recipient is expected to be announced during the week of the 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel.

Source: Bay FC