Street Soccer USA and EMQ FamiliesFirst to be the recipients of the SSV Kidzone tickets for the MLS San Jose Earthquakes match on October 22nd at Buck Shaw Stadium against Brek Shea, George John, Kevin Hartman, Daniel Hernandez and FC Dallas
Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation are pleased to welcome 25 homeless individuals from Street Soccer USA and 25 children and families from EMQ FamiliesFirst as their guests in the SSV Kidzone for the MLS San Jose Earthquakes game on October 22nd at Buck Shaw Stadium versus FC Dallas. The SSV Kidzone has hosted over 3000 children and families since its inception.
"The Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation, fans and the San Jose Earthquakes have set up the SSV Kidzone to bring 50 deserving kids and families to every Earthquakes home game," says SSV Kidzone Chair Lloyd Danon. "Because of the deserving children that Street Soccer USA and EMQ FamiliesFirst serves, we selected them to receive tickets for free admission to this game."
"We are really excited to be working with the team's fans through SSV Community Foundation on the Kidzone," says Earthquakes President David Kaval. "We are pleased with the choice of Street Soccer USA and EMQ FamiliesFirst as deserving programs for this partnership."
About Street Soccer USA:
Street Soccer USA (SSUSA) (www.streetsoccerusa.org) is a sport for development program in 20 US Cities, including the SF Bay Area, which believes ending homelessness is a team sport. Through a systematic approach, SSUSA Builds community and trust through sport with participants and volunteers, transforming the context within which they live from one of isolation, abuse, and marginalization, to one of community, purpose, and achievement, requires participants to set 3, 6, and 12-month life goals, and empowers participants by providing access to services and educational/employment opportunities through its Jobs Academy. Programs train twice weekly, compete in local leagues with volunteers, and unite annually at the 20-city SSUSA Cup. By undergoing the SSUSA process, players improve social skills, self esteem, physical/mental health, and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing/job placement than their peers. The Lady Salamander women's initiative of SSUSA has formed women only teams at shelters across the U.S. as well.
About EMQ FamiliesFirst:
EMQ FamiliesFirst helps kids in crisis. The private nonprofit is nationally recognized for its innovative, family-centered programs that help children recover from trauma, abuse and addiction, and rebuild their lives. The agency helps more than 7,000 children and their family members in Santa Clara County every year through programs like Family Finding, Wraparound, support and educational services. Headquartered in Campbell, California, EMQ Children & Family Services has programs in 31 counties throughout the state. More information on EMQFF can be found at http://www.emqff.org
About Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation:
Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SSVCF) is an all-volunteer 501c(3) non-profit comprised of San Jose Earthquakes fans whose mission is to ensure on an ongoing, sustainable basis, the vitality, and availability to all, of the sport of soccer in the Bay Area. Through the SSV Kidzone, SSVCF will bring during the 2011 MLS season a different group of 50 under-privileged kids (and their adult chaperones) from a different youth-oriented non-profit in a Bay Area community to see Earthquakes soccer – an experience they will remember forever – in the "SSV Kidzone," courtesy of Earthquakes fans and sponsors. The SSV Kidzone is a collaborative effort between the fans and the San Jose Earthquakes, who have made significantly discounted tickets available to SSVCF for purchase in the SSV Kidzone. For more information or to make a donation, go to www.ssvcf.org
About San Jose Earthquakes:
The San Jose Earthquakes are a Major League Soccer team. Individual tickets are also on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-800-225-2277 or online at www.sjearthquakes.com.
Contact:
SSVCF – Lori Hibbett – (408) 858-2464 – Lhibbett@comcast.net
SSVCF – Lloyd Danon – (408) 859-7266 – l_danon@yahoo.com
San Jose Earthquakes – Flor Rivera – (408) 556-7705 – Frivera@sjearthquakes.com
