Street Soccer USA
Street Soccer USA is an non-profit organization under the umbrella of HELP USA that promotes the growth and development of a national network of grassroots soccer programs to achieve social change. SSUSA aims to get homeless men, women, and youth off the streets through innovative, sports-based solutions to eradicate homelessness and poverty in the United States. As of 2010, SSUSA has 18 teams across the United States.[1]
Street Soccer USA is the United States base partner of the Homeless World Cup and the host of the Homeless USA Cup every year. The tournament began in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006, and was moved to Washington D.C. in 2008. Street Soccer USA is a part of the Urban Ministry Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
Objectives
SSUSA elevates the talents and abilities of the homeless to the attention of the general public, changing stereotypes and misconceptions. This is accomplished through multimedia such as photography exhibitions, film, online video, and blogs. Additionally, SSUSA attends national conferences on sport, youth, development and the homeless.
SSUSA has learned and firmly believes that adding a layer of sports intervention to existing homeless services programs will enhance existing programs and help reduce homelessness in the United States.
History
Lawrence Cann, a young social entrepreneur, founded SSUSA in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2004. In just a few years, SSUSA has grown from one program to a 16 city league of programs across the country. SSUSA has reached more than 20% of chronically homeless living in Greater Charlotte, and realized a 75% success rate in effecting a positive life change such as addressing a substance abuse problem or mental health issue, securing full-time employment or moving off the street. The sense of belonging, mentorship, and structure that SSUSA programs provide is the difference between people languishing on the street and successfully re-integrating into society.
Additionally, Street Soccer USA is the official partner of the Homeless World Cup founded by Mel Young, and responsible for organizing the United States participation in the annual Homeless World Cup. Through this tournament, SSUSA has made international headlines.
Since 2005, SSUSA has brought a team of homeless soccer players to the annually-hosted Homeless World Cup.
Inspired by Street Soccer USA, a similar organization named Play Street Soccer recently began in Chapel Hill, NC to empower youth and build community through pick-up soccer. The organization hosts games for children in three historically low-income neighborhoods in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The organization partners with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to provide volunteers to help facilitate the games, although the games are completely officiated by the participating children. [2]