Grand Rapids, Mich.-Cornerstone University's women's soccer team is preparing to host the Federation Haitienne De Football (FHF) women's national team in a pre-season exhibition match on Cornerstone's campus at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23.

The game is one of several warm up matches for the Haitian team as they prepare for their FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

"This is a great opportunity for our team," said CU women's soccer head coach Randy Strawser. "It's also a chance for our community to see firsthand the outcome of their support for Haiti."

After the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti's capital, Léogâne, in January 2010, Cornerstone was one of many local organizations who worked to send aid and support to the devastated country.

"This is our chance to celebrate the work of everyone who responded to the crisis," said Bob Sack, executive director of marketing and communications at Cornerstone.

Cornerstone hopes that this event will act as an effort to display Christian hospitality and share about Christ to the Haitian team. As part of the event, Cornerstone is making a donation to the International Women's Opportunity Foundation (IWOF), an organization tied to the FHF whose goal is to fund re-development of women's soccer and other opportunities for the women of Haiti.

The Haitian women's team has been rebuilding their program since the disaster struck. Many players and their families were directly affected by the earthquake.

"I'm very excited to be working with Cornerstone to both help us prepare for our upcoming World Cup qualifiers and help this worthwhile cause," said Shek Borkowski, FHF Women's Technical Director.

In addition to making a donation to IWOF, Cornerstone will also make a donation to Haiti Foundation Against Poverty (HFAP), a nonprofit organization founded by Cornerstone alumna Mallery Neptune.

"I began HFAP to empower poor, orphaned and widowed Haitians and to spread the message of the Gospel," said Neptune. "Cornerstone equipped me with the knowledge, spiritual discipline and Truth that I need daily to serve the Lord in Haiti. It is an absolute joy to see two of my loves, Cornerstone and Haiti, come together in this way."

Cornerstone would like to invite the general public to share in this free celebration. Donations will be accepted at the gate, with all proceeds going directly to HFAP to continue their work in Haiti.