Nearly 26 years later, Washington women's soccer associate head coach Amy Griffin recalls a powerful moment from her time in Haiti during the 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship, the qualifier for the World Cup.

"The people in Haiti are so grateful for anything you give them," said Griffin.

After finishing her breakfast, Griffin, a goalkeeper on the United States women's national team at the time, remembers handing an extra bag of bagels to a local Haitian, watching as they each ripped a small piece off before passing it along to the next person.

Later, as the team prepared to leave town, Griffin received an unexpected gift.

"A teenager met us out by our bus as we prepared to leave," said Griffin. "He gave me two little handmade figurines he had been carving all day.  He insisted I take the figurines in return for the food as a 'thank you.'"

Last month, the Washington women's soccer team partnered with an organization called Friends of Haiti, a group that helps to improve the lives of many by collecting donations and traveling to the island in the Caribbean Sea to provide aid.

The Huskies were connected to this organization by its founder, and father of incoming freshman goalkeeper Clare Botterill. Dave Botterill Established in 2012, Friends of Haiti aims to help those in need through education, technology and sports, by collecting school supplies, laptops, cell phones, soccer gear and more.

After hosting a few fundraisers for the team to travel to Haiti this coming spring, the staff decided to forgo the trip once Hurricane Mathew hit the island.  Bringing such a large party to a place that was struggling to find enough resources to sustain its inhabitants combined with the outbreak of Cholera, was the rational behind the decision.   

However, the Huskies still had the desire to help in any way they could, collecting donations and promoting the organization to make any impact they could from over 3,000 miles away.

"They literally drove away with their trunk open, it was so full," said Griffin.

Collecting cell phones, computers and three sets of soccer uniforms from the community, the team donated two more sets of uniforms, a set of training tops, four cell phones, goalkeeper equipment, 20 pairs of cleats, a box of coaching books, a set of cones and five soccer balls.

The town recently aided by these donations started a local soccer league where people that wouldn't ordinarily get to play an organized sport receive a uniform.  With the soccer gear recently delivered by Friends of Haiti, the town was able to host a tournament for all who wanted to play.

"If you were to ask any of us or our players who have traveled around the globe, they can tell you soccer is a universal language," said Griffin. "This is a prime example of how soccer can bring people together, and make the world feel just a little bit smaller."

You can find out more about Friends of Haiti and the great work they do by following the link to their website above.