The KIPP Heartwood Academy in East San Jose and Farm Drive Neighborhood Center in San Jose to be recipients of "SSV Kidzone" seats for the MLS San Jose Earthquakes game on September 18th at the Buck Shaw Stadium against the Colorado Rapids
Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation is pleased to welcome 75 children and families from KIPP and 25 children and families from Farm Drive Neighborhood Center as their guests in the SSV Kidzone seats for the MLS San Jose Earthquakes game on September 18th at Buck Shaw Stadium versus the Colorado Rapids.
"Soccer Silicon Valley, through our community foundation and in partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes, has set up a program to bring 50 deserving kids to every Earthquakes home game," says SSV Kidzone Chair Lloyd Danon. "Because of the deserving children that KIPP and Farm Drive Neighborhood Center serves, we selected KIPP and Farm Drive Neighborhood Center to receive tickets for free admission to the game."
"We are really excited to be working with the team's fans through SSV Community Foundation on the Kidzone," says Earthquakes Executive Vice President David Alioto. "We are pleased with the choices of KIPP and Farm Drive Neighborhood Center as deserving programs for this partnership."
About KIPP Heartwood Academy in East San Jose:
KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is part of a national network of free, college-prep public schools in under-resourced communities. More than 81% of the families participate in the free/reduced lunch program, and most students will be the first in their families to attend college. Despite the odds, 355 KIPP Heartwood middle school students (grades 5-8) are climbing the mountain to college Monday through Friday from 7AM-5PM, two Saturdays a month, and three weeks each summer. "No shortcuts, no excuses", the motto on every student's uniform, is a reminder that the KIPPsters, teachers and KIPP families are consistently doing whatever it takes to achieve their collaborative goal: getting every student to college! And they're definitely on the way: KIPP Heartwood ranks in the top 4% of all California public schools. Most of the students, ages 10-14, already have an idea of which university they'd like to attend, likely because of the collegiate atmosphere at KIPP. Students' homerooms are colleges named for their teacher's alma mater. How are these hardworking students rewarded for each year of hard work? A spring college tour, of course.
About Farm Drive Neighborhood Center in San Jose:
The Farm Drive Neighborhood Center is located at 3110 Dakan Court. This neighborhood is a relatively small, lower income area, with about 250 individual apartments. The neighborhood is populated by families, many of which are single-parent families. There are approximately 10-15 different ethnicities represented in the neighborhood. Some of the activities which take place at the Center are age-graded homework assistance, mentoring groups for pre-Kinders through teens, after school snacks, clothing and household goods assistance, a monthly food distribution for families in need, National Night Out, various after school and weekend activities, including street hockey, a Read and Swim program, camping experiences, and summer Sailing Camp (through Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services). Funding for the Center comes solely from donations by people interested in making a difference in the lives of the kids and families in the neighborhood.
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 2009 MLS season a different group of 50 deserving kids (and their adult chaperones) from a different youth-oriented non-profit in a different Bay Area community to see Earthquakes soccer – an experience they will remember forever – in the "SSV Kidzone," courtesy of Earthquakes fans. 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 expansion team. Individual tickets are 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 – Jed Mettee – (408) 556-7723 – Jmettee@sjearthquakes.com
San Jose Earthquakes – Flor Rivera – (408) 556-7705 – Frivera@sjearthquakes.com
