Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the major charitable arm of soccer in the United States, today announced it has received an award of $1 million in funding over two years from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The Foundation was one of eight organizations selected to receive funding under the “Group Mentoring” category for the 2015 – 2016 fiscal year. The grant will be used to support the Foundation’s Soccer for Success program in six cities nationwide.
Soccer for Success is a free afterschool sports-based, youth development program created by the U.S. Soccer Foundation that uses soccer as a tool to improve the health and behavioral outcomes of children in underserved, urban communities. The program serves children ages 6-14, and provides them with free afterschool programming three times per week for the entire school year. Soccer for Success engages coaches who serve as mentors and stress the importance of excelling in school and living a healthy lifestyle, while promoting the values of teamwork, leadership, discipline and respect. Beginning in fall 2015, funding from OJJDP will support programming in Kansas City, MO; New Orleans, LA; Miami, FL; Portland, OR; Raleigh, NC; and Tempe AZ. Programming in these six cities will serve close to 3,000 additional children, and will lower the child-to-mentor/coach ratio from 15:1 to 7:1.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to expand the reach of Soccer for Success and provide additional coaches to our participants during the 2015-2016 program year,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, president & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Our dedicated coaches and their service are crucial to the success of our program, and support from OJJDP allows us to further enhance the mentor-mentee experience while engaging children in dynamic and effective programming.”
Through a network of community-based partners and organizations, Soccer for Success will serve approximately 30,000 children in more than 30 cities across the country during the 2014-2015 program year. The program engages over 1,400 coaches who serve as mentors invested in the successful development of the Soccer for Success participants.
To learn more about the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Soccer for Success, please visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org/soccerforsuccess.
About the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.
About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is a recognized leader in sports-based youth development programs for children in underserved, urban communities. Since its founding in 1994, the organization has provided more than $100 million in funding to create and sustain innovative programs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Proven to deliver positive health and social outcomes, the Foundation’s affordable initiatives offer safe environments in which both boys and girls thrive. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Visit http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org to learn more.
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Media Contacts:
Krista Washington
U.S. Soccer Foundation
kwashington@ussoccerfoundation.org
202-872-6662
Eleanor Arlook
Maroon PR
Eleanor@MaroonPR.com
443-864-4246
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