Austin FC Goalkeeper Brad Stuver & Wife Ashley Launch Foundation to Amplify Local Nonprofits

You might recognize Brad Stuver as the starting goalkeeper for Austin FC, — fans often shout “Stuuuu” when he makes a play — but his work off the field is equally impressive. In August, Brad and his wife, Ashley, officially launched The Brad and Ashley Stuver Foundation, which is dedicated to amplifying the voices and missions of local nonprofits. 

Both Brad and Ashley, who hail from Ohio, have been deeply engaged in community work since their college years at Cleveland State, where they first met. 

“Even in college, we were both pretty active in the community,” shares Brad. Their involvement with various nonprofits only grew as Brad’s soccer career took them from Columbus to New York City, and now to Austin. “Becoming a professional athlete gave me a bigger platform,” explains Brad, “and we wanted to use that platform to increase our visibility and our impact.”

The foundation focuses on five key pillars — equality, community engagement, environmental sustainability, education and access to essential services — intentionally broad in scope to encompass a range of causes. Through this flexible framework, the foundation aims to support a wide variety of local nonprofits, whether by offering financial aid, raising awareness, or volunteering time.

Brad serves on the board of Equality Texas, Ashley is on the board of Avow Texas — both helping champion rights for everyone in this state. In addition, the Stuvers have long been committed to The Laundry Project, an initiative they have supported since 2016. This initiative provides free laundry services to low-income communities. From Columbus to the Bronx and now here in Austin, the Stuvers host multiple laundry events annually with the help of local volunteers and organizations like Los Verdes, an independent supporters group of Austin FC.

According to Ashley, one of their main goals is fundraising for the Laundry Project events.

“We aim to host four laundry dates, three times per year, across multiple locations on the same day,” she explains. The couple has partnered with local venues, including HopSquad Brewing Company, to organize fundraisers and bring the community together to support these events.

The Stuvers have taken full advantage of Brad’s platform as a professional athlete to champion their causes. Whether it’s participating in the Austin Pride parade or working with Equality Texas at the Capitol, they have committed to using their visibility for advocacy and education. The Brad and Ashley Stuver Foundation website also offers a resource guide with educational tools on voter rights and other civic matters, in hopes of informing and empowering the public.

Looking ahead, the Stuvers are excited to brainstorm more ways to engage the Austin community. They’re particularly focused on planning events that will raise awareness and funds for their foundation’s work. 

“We want to bring a little fun to it as well,” says Ashley, noting the couple’s competitive spirit. Whether it’s trivia nights or friendly competitions, the Stuvers hope to inspire action through activities that foster connection and fun.

While the foundation is still in its early stages, Brad and Ashley are confident that their work will grow and continue to make an impact. For now, the foundation remains a small, family-run operation, with Brad and Ashley handling most of the duties themselves, but they’re optimistic about the future and look forward to expanding their efforts.

The Stuvers are helping build a stronger, more connected community here in Austin. The Brad and Ashley Stuver Foundation aims to catalyze change — one project, one event and one partnership at a time.

Learn more at www.bastuverfoundation.org.