We’re happy to report another successful initiative for Soccer Grow and our global partners. Together with Soles 4 Souls we helped to provide 224 pairs of shoes to the needy. There aren’t any concrete figures on how many people are forced to go without shoes on a daily basis. What we do know is that it is at least in the millions. A lack of shoes not only makes something as simple as walking to work miserable, but can lead to life altering injury or disease. We are proud that through our combined commitment and energy we were able to help alleviate this suffering. Many of those who receive donated shoes are avid soccer players, and it is our hope that these donations will improve their daily lives, and allow them to have a safer experience while playing the beautiful game. Soles 4 Souls is truly a worthy cause that we are proud to support.

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More about Soles 4 Souls

In order to continue our work with Soles 4 Souls, and our other global partners we need your help. Please help us to bring about more positive change through the power of soccer by donating.

Remember, a little goes a long way

Donate Now

Written by: Matthew Wall, soccerpro.com

It’s been awhile since our last post, but we’re proud to report we’ve had a great year so far at Soccer Grow. There are roughly 3.5 billion soccer fans worldwide, and a majority live in abject poverty. Since we got started in June of 2008, we’ve given away, in conjunction with our partners, thousands in merchandise, and hundreds of dollars has been contributed to help these underprivileged people.

Our Accomplishments

-Awarded an “Awesomeness” college scholarship for $1,000

-Helped hundreds of underprivileged children in Kenya over the Christmas holidays with the gift of shoes through Kicks for Kenya

-We helped many of the homeless in the United States find a purpose through our donations to the Homeless World Cup

-We raised awareness on the plight of the disadvantaged in remote areas of Kenya through hundreds of dollars in contributions to Shoes 4 Life

A Bright Future

From the rolling hills of Columbia, Missouri to the arid plains of Nairobi, Kenya, our organization is working to build better future for all the worlds’ people through the power of the universal language of soccer. Sports can break down barriers the normally rigid lines of social class, ethnicity, and culture, providing a unique opportunity to affect positive change in the world’s most divided places.

The Spanish team that won the 2010 World Cup is great example of this. Castilians, Basques, and Catalans all came together on one team, with one mission. They were able to do what politicians have not, put aside centuries of mistrust between there peoples and work together for a common goal, winning the World Cup. Not for Catalonia, or Pais Vasco, or the rest of Spain, but for all Spaniards.

It’s our hope, that in the coming months we can harness the same spirit of cooperation and unity to expand our impact and bring about even more positive change with the help of our global partners. But, we need your help. Soccer Grow maybe be small, but we are having a big effect, and we need your donations to keep giving the gift of soccer to those who need it most. Remember, even $1 goes a long way.

Donate Here

Written by: Matthew M. Wall

We have partnered with the international shoe giving charity Soles4Souls and all proceeds and shoes collected at the end of Shoes 4 Life will go directly to them. From there Soles4Souls will purchase and distribute shoes within the United States and across the globe.

Children and families throughout the world cannot attend school or go to work without shoes. The lack of shoes also leads to disease and infection. Domestically, many victims of the Nashville, TN flood lost all of their belongings – including their shoes. We believe that this is an excellent opportunity to work together with our customers and Facebook fans in working towards the greater good.

There are three easy ways to donate to Shoes 4 Life:

• Make a monetary donation. Donations start at $1, which will buy a pair of shoes. $500 can buy shoes for an entire community.

• Purchase a Shoes 4 Life Limited Edition Tee Shirt. All proceeds from tee shirt sales will go directly to Shoes 4 Life

• Donate gently used or new shoes of your own and drop them at a location near you or send them into SoccerPro. We will cover all shipping costs.

As a thank you to our customers and social media followers who help to make this movement a success, SoccerPro will be holding two sweepstakes on our Facebook fan page.

Similar to our “Jerseys 4 Life” campaign earlier this year, Facebook fans can sign up to win Shoes 4 Life. Every time we reach a donation goal, a new winner will be chosen. All winners will receive a free pair of soccer shoes (of their choice) from SoccerPro for the next four years.

If fans are going to donate shoes and send them into SoccerPro or drop them at a collection location, they can post a picture of the shoes on SoccerPro’s Facebook wall to be automatically entered to win $1000 in cash.

For more information on Shoes 4 Life visit SoccerPro.com, our Facebook page or contact Lauren Bradley at lauren@soccerpro.com.

Thank you for your help and support in making Shoes 4 Life a success.

Lauren Bradley

There are many websites and organizations currently working hard to send aid and relief to victims of Haiti’s recent earthquake disaster. There are also an awesome organization, Kick Back to Kids who realizes the impact of what a soccer ball can have on children, especially in times of devastation. Kick back to Kids knows the strength of soccer and the ability it has to reunite groups despite life’s setbacks. Children in Haiti have lost their food, shelter, and clothing; Kick Back to Kids is working to raise money and soccer ball donations (both new and used) so that each child in Haiti can at least have their own soccer ball. For more information on Kick Back to Kids or to donate to the organization, please contact Cassandra Mowatt at mowattc@gmail.com

Another organization, Charity Ball, started by 10-year old Ethan King is working to raise money, soccer balls and awareness for children in Africa. After visiting northern Mozambique and realizing that most children have never had the opportunity to play or even see a real soccer ball, Ethan decided to start a program with the goal of getting these children their own quality soccer ball. To donate to Charity Ball, contact Ethan by emailing him at king.lorie@gmail.com

Soccer Balls for Haiti – People Making a Difference, which was started by Kim and Chris Foote began donating soccer balls to schools in Haiti beginning in 2008. The program began as a Sports for Social Change initiative to convey the power of sports to minimize the effects of poverty of youth. Sports give children affected by a conflict or disaster the chance to be children again and give them a “can do” attitude which is essential to their education and development. The Foote’s have been collecting donations of soccer balls, pumps, shoes and uniforms nationwide, and have a shipper in NY that is taking everything Haiti for Soccer Balls for Haiti. To donate to Soccer Balls for Haiti, contact Tracy Foote (1seagull@comcast.net)

]]> http://www.soccergrow.org/a-small-token-can-have-a-huge-impact/feed 0 http://www.soccergrow.org/nike-and-red-unite-to-fight-aids-in-africa http://www.soccergrow.org/nike-and-red-unite-to-fight-aids-in-africa#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:15:54 +0000 admin http://www.soccergrow.org/?p=294 Nike (RED) press day was Tuesday, and begins the campaign to help save lives through awareness and direct support. Below are just a couple of press releases from Tuesday. From soccer enthused site to People magazine, this was a big event.

http://www.soccerbible.com/news/general/archive/2009/11/30/nike-red-lace-up-save-lives-30-11-09.aspx

http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2009/12/01/bonos-new-red-collaboration-with-nike/

http://www.grassrootsoccer.org/2009/12/01/nike-red-joins-grassroot-soccer-in-the-fight-against-hiv-and-aids/

Where there is sport, there is hope. But hope is not enough to curb the devastation of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Action is required. It is preventable and treatable. And we have an opportunity to help.

And so on the eve of World AIDS Day November 30th, Nike and (RED) have announced a partnership to Lace Up to Save Lives. Together we are leveraging the power of sport to fight HIV/AIDS.

The idea is simple – educate and medicate. It’s critical for people to know the facts behind exposure to the virus and how to prevent it. For those who already have the virus, the difference between life and death is $1 a day. That’s what it costs to provide the medication that turns AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.

To raise money for the cause, we’re selling RED shoelaces for $4. One hundred percent of the profits from RED laces will be split equally between The Global Fund which provides medicine for those living with HIV, and football(soccer)-based community initiatives that deliver education around HIV/AIDS prevention.

Nike has already been investing in HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Africa and globally for several years. We support community outreach programs and the Nike Foundation invests in HIV/AIDS and other activity that specifically address the needs of adolescent girls. We’re also heavily involved with initiatives like Grassroot Soccer, a community program in Africa that uses the power of sport to engage young people in football-based programs to deliver knowledge, skill and support to live HIV free.

Football(soccer) will clearly play a big part in Lace Up to Save Lives. It has the ability to unite people all over the world, and we’re leveraging it as we move toward the World Cup in South Africa next summer. Our product and marketing teams are developing very ambitious and compelling ways to energize Lace Up to Save Lives – in stores, online, and in communities.

Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006, (RED) is a simple, ingenious and effective way to improve the human condition in Africa. Through Converse, Nike has been a part of (RED) from the start. Lace Up to Save Lives expands our commitment. Our work with the Nike Foundation will continue to focus on poverty alleviation across the continent by investing in adolescent girls as a powerful source for economic and social change.

SoccerPro.com will be selling the shoe laces starting February 1. We encourage you to contribute to support Nike and (RED) in the fight against AIDS/HIV in Africa