In 2008, non-profit The Daily Planet partnered with Street Soccer USA to found Street Soccer USA Richmond. The Daily Planet provides a wide scope of health and human services to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The Daily Planet offers comprehensive and integrated programs to guide those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness toward self-sufficiency. By offering a holistic approach to their programs, they address the total wellness of each man, woman and child seeking help. By extension, the Street Soccer USA Richmond program promotes discipline, goal setting, and team building through sports, and offers an innovative method to help connect participants to the services they need.
Under the direction of their lead volunteer, Liana Kleeman, Street Soccer USA Richmond came in 11th in the 2008 U.S. Cup and were 14th in the 2009 national championship. The team has twelve active members and ten volunteers. The program this year has added CARITAS as a second partner for player services. CARITAS made the commitment to become a year-round shelter program for single adults and to offer case management services. The goal was and is, to provide support beyond basic needs for clients in an effort to transition homeless adults into stable housing. The program practices at the William Byrd Community Center and has the support of Richmond soccer legend Rob Ukrop and the Richmond Kickers professional soccer team. The success of Street Soccer USA in Richmond and across the Street Soccer USA network has raised the nation’s awareness of homelessness and brought attention to a proven strategy for addressing the needs of homeless men and women living in the Richmond, Virginia area.
We believe that being part of a soccer team can have a positive influence on the players’ lives, and that a street soccer team is an opportunity to disprove negative stereotypes and improve the reputation of homeless individuals within the Richmond community.
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Hi,
I am from Durban, in South Africa and We have a veterans soccer team that hosts or travels to play other veteran teams around South Africa. We wish to visit USA to play teams like Richmond Rebels etc. Can I please request you to put me through someone I can begin lines of communication with regards to prospects of striking visit of that nature.
We can begin our communication via emails and then extend to phone or other means if we advance on the chances of this dream becoming a reality.
What a great organization. How can I get involved? A knee injury prevents me from playing but I would love to help out if possible. let me know.
wrcarlson@gmail.com
Thanks for visiting The Healing Place. I know there will be some guys interested in playing. I hope that our schedules will not prevent us from being an active part of the team. I think it will be a great opportunity for us to grow.