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March 7, 2012
Press Release
U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION AWARDS $300,000 SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND SUB-GRANT TO THINK DETROIT PAL
Washington, D.C. – On March 7, 2012 the U.S.
Soccer Foundation awarded a $300,000 Social Innovation Fund Sub-Grant over two
years to Think Detroit PAL to support the implementation of Soccer for Success, the Foundation’s
after-school, sports-based youth development program that uses soccer as a tool
to combat childhood obesity and provides nutrition education and mentorship to
children in at-risk communities.
In August 2011, the U.S. Soccer Foundation received
a grant from the prestigious 2011 Social Innovation Fund, on behalf of the
Corporation for National and Community Service, to support programs that
promote healthy lifestyles and reduce obesity rates for children in urban,
underserved communities. The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm
of Soccer in the United States, was one of five intermediaries to receive this
award.
In 2012, the Soccer
for Success program will expand to serve thirteen cities and over 12,000
children, as a result of the award the Foundation received from the Social
Innovation Fund. Think Detroit PAL was one of thirteen organizations to receive
this Sub-Grant.
“The U.S. Soccer Foundation is proud to receive
an award from the Social Innovation Fund to expand the Soccer for Success national footprint,” said Ed Foster-Simeon,
President & CEO. “We believe that Soccer
for Success is an innovative program that can make a positive impact on
youth. We are happy to assist organizations that are committed to improving the
well-being of children in at-risk communities using soccer.”
Rep. Hansen Clarke said, “I congratulate the
Think Detroit Police Athletic League on their receipt of a competitive sub-grant
from the Social Innovation Fund. As a society, we must invest in our youth in
order to create a prosperous future. The newly funded program, Soccer for
Success, does just that by combining physical activity, nutrition education,
and mentorship to promote youth health and wellness. I want to extend my
sincere thanks to the U.S. Soccer Foundation for their support and to the Think
Detroit Police Athletic League for their dedicated work in our communities
since 1969.”
“We are extremely grateful to the U.S. Soccer
Foundation for awarding Think Detroit PAL the opportunity to implement the Soccer for Success program in Detroit,”
Think Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey said. “This grant will allow us to teach
nearly 1,000 girls and boys the value of nutrition and wellness, all while
enjoying a great sport.”
The Social Innovation Fund requires that each
federal dollar granted be matched by the intermediaries and again by the
organizations selected to receive a Sub-Grant. Sub-Grantees will begin
implementing Soccer for Success in
Fall/Winter 2012.
2012 Social Innovation Fund Sub-Grantees
Boys and Girls Club of Camden
County (Camden, NJ)
Boys and Girls Club of Metro
Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Boys and Girls Club of
Trenton and Mercer County (Trenton, NJ)
Brotherhood Crusade (Los
Angeles, CA)
Colorado Fusion Soccer Club
(Denver, CO)
DC Scores (Washington, DC)
El Monte Community Building
Initiative (CBI)
(El Monte, CA)
Houston Parks &
Recreation Department (Houston, TX)
Independent Health Foundation
(Buffalo, NY)
Think Detroit Police Athletic
League (Detroit, MI)
Washington Youth Soccer
Association (Seattle, WA)
Widener University (Chester,
PA)
YMCA of Greater Dayton (Dayton, OH)
About the U.S. Soccer
Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the Major Charitable Arm
of Soccer in the United States. Established in 1994, the U.S. Soccer
Foundation has invested more than $55 million in all 50 states. The U.S.
Soccer Foundation supports programs and field building projects that provide
underserved youth in urban communities with opportunities that promote positive
behavior, healthy lifestyles, self-confidence and positive alternatives to
drugs, crime and other at-risk behaviors.
Media Request:When referring to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of
Soccer in the United States, please refer to the organization only as the U.S.
Soccer Foundation or the Foundation, and never as USSF or US/U.S. Soccer.
Furthermore, please format “U.S.” with periods and never without. We appreciate
your cooperation.
Think Detroit PAL was formed in 2006 with the merger of Think Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Police Athletic League. In partnership with the Detroit Police Department and community volunteers, Think Detroit PAL builds character in young people through athletic, academic and leadership development programs. In 2011, Think Detroit PAL served over 10,000 girls and boys through 10 sports, making it one of the largest youth organizations in the state of Michigan. More than 80 cents of each dollar donated to Think Detroit PAL goes directly into programming
For more information, please visit http://www.thinkdetroitpal.org or call 313-833-1600. |
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