Our goal this summer is, at the very least, to help one player reach their dreams of playing in the cup this year in Rio, Brazil.  

Before you read on, a huge THANK YOU to my donators offline as well as on justgiving.com. So here's my huge shout out to Yan Yang (my assistant), Katie and Timo Liekoski (for their constant reminders of the inspirational players), Lawrence Cann (for his advice, mentoring and friendship), Alex Valhouli (for the shirts, for his patience, for his courage, for his efforts to spread soccer as a sport and as an outreach tool throughout the world), Tony Lucente, Sara and Eric Fish, Christiane Geisler, Dan Claiborne (my exercise advisor and reality check), Derrick and Rachel Brown, Paul Farmer, Cindy Derdyn (for her babysitting needs for the best boy ever!), Gaby and Scott McPhee, Lara Pereira, Kim Baugher, Debby Basu, Benton Lawson (my cheerleader and soccer knowledge), Helder Nakaya, Katya Piexoto (for her lessons in Portuguese), Spencer Finch, Malinda Schaefer, Jon Allen (my savior those days when I just had to cry it out), Effie Bartley, Mackenzie Hurlston and Eric Hunter (my always supportive and cheerful boss). You have all helped me, supported my fundraising, bought shirts or just lent me a hand when I needed or a shoulder to cry on during these hectic months!

Updates (August 2010) -   

We're scheduling a film screening of Kicking It in early September at the Plaza theater in Atlanta. 

And again huge thank you to Alex and his pals at ONELOVE FC!  They have designed and given me a bunch of great Homeless World Cup supporter shirts that I am selling to my friends and supporters for $15 a shirt - all profits go to this fundraising.

I completed a 100-mile run earlier on this month - ran through 6 different states in 10 days. It was scary, eye-opening, educational, enlightening, fun and tiring. I lost about 10 pounds but then gained about half of that back the next week (could hardly move). I'm back in shape now though! And have a half-marathon and marathon coming up in the fall.

Want to help? Please contact Chandrima at chandrima@mac.com for further information

 

Want to donate? This is the best page to do it through if you support our efforts. Thanks! 

A little background on the HWC...

Since the first game in 2003, the Homeless World Cup has been a conduit for positive growth in the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged people throughout 56 countries. Many of them are young adults whose lives have been shattered through unending cycles of poverty, hunger, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and political exile. The vision of the HWC is to foster a rebuilding of the lives of these disenfranchised/disadvantaged groups through the sport of football/soccer. Many of these countries now have numerous street soccer groups that participate in events in their own countries throughout the year, culminated in a selection of the most avid players for the international world cup. They then travel to the Homeless World Cup and meet other players and coaches and volunteers throughout the world. For many, this is their first time out of their own countries. For quite a few, it is their chance to see the world, to prove that we are not limited in our lives to our surroundings, that true growth and change is possible. 

So, where do your donations go?

 

£5 - provides a football to kick off football training for a homeless player

£10 - provides a football kit (game uniform) for one homeless person to join their national training and trials

£25 - provides a month's travel for one homeless person to get to and from football training

£50 - provides food and drink for homeless players for one week of training sessions £100 - provides a coaching course for one homeless player to secure an employable skill

£500 - provides a passport and travel for one player to attend the Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup

£10000 - provides funding for a championship involving 500 players to select their national Homeless World Cup team