ABOUT STREET SOCCER

Soccer has been used to engage and empower homeless people around the world since the first homeless world cup began in 2003 (www.homelessworldcup.org).

In 2005 the U.S. team was started by Urban Ministries in North Carolina (www.communityworks945.org). In 2006 Urban Ministries engages with 133 individuals and of the 30 final team members, 75% moved off the streets, and 95% made significant life changes-entering drug treatment, going back to school etc…  Seeing the positive influence soccer has on the homeless, PORT contacted Urban Ministries for information on starting a team and sent a staff member to a conference on Street Soccer in Charlotte North Carolina in July, 2007. The exciting outcome was that PORT decided to start its own homeless soccer team in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Practices began on August 2, 2007, with the hope of getting a team established to compete in the U.S. Cup next spring in Washington D.C.  Hopefully, PORT’s team will have some of the players going on to compete in the Homeless World Cup in Australia next year.

Practices are currently held Thursday’s at 11:00 am at WideWorld Sports Center in Ann Arbor.

If you have any questions or would like to help support the team, please contact Sara Silvennoinen at (734)222-3727 or silvennoinens@ewashtenaw.org.

MISSION

PORT Street Soccer’s mission is using soccer as a way to engage and empower the homeless in our community.

PORT Street Soccer’s vision is to use soccer as a tool to provide a healthy social activity for people in the homeless community, with the goal of providing a positive and empowering experience.