Keeping RefugeeOne kids in the game!
In response to soccer programs pausing in-person soccer activity due to the pandemic, All Kids Play worked with our friends at RefugeeOne and Chicago City Soccer Club to implement a virtual soccer skills training program for refugee children.
These amazing kids and their families have fled war, terror and persecution in countries throughout the world with the help of RefugeeOne. They are extremely resilient kids. Like all kids, they simply need opportunities, including high quality sports opportunities, to support their physical, mental and emotional well-being.
These kids love soccer. However, as the pandemic worsens and the weather turns colder in Chicago, youth sports program opportunities are very limited or non-existent for them. Additionally, cost and transportation insecurity are significant barriers that prevent these families from accessing high-quality sports programs.
All Kids Play found a creative solution. We started by giving soccer balls to the kids through our We Will Bounce Back sports ball giveaway campaign. All Kids Play then worked with our friends in the soccer community to provide the kids with their own online soccer program.
The virtual soccer skills training program enabled the kids to access a high-quality online soccer training program from their homes led by excellent travel club coaches from Chicago City Soccer Club. In fact, one of the coaches was born and raised in the same Chicago neighborhood that these kids have resettled in which adds another layer of comfort to the program.
