April 2015

Kick For Nick Soccer Ball
~ 42,225  Soccer Balls Distributed ~

Spring is in the air and the Kick For Nick soccer ball distribution program continues to bring joy to children around the world.

 

Bridging diverse religions, cultures and ethnicities, the game of soccer brings children together to share in the simple joy of teamwork and sportsmanship.

 

Read on to find out more about how your support of Kick For Nick makes a difference in children's lives.

 

Bill, Shalini, Marie & Chris Madaras
Hooplaha Films Great Video about Kick For Nick

Hooplaha.com is a website whose mission is to make people smile as much as possible by spreading good news, inspirational stories and more. They filmed wonderful videos about both Kick For Nick as well as the veterans living at the PFC Nicholas A Madaras Home for Homeless Female Veterans (Homes for the Brave). 

 

These videos have been viewed more than 5000 times and were featured on the Huffington Post as well as on Hooplaha's website and Facebook page. We so appreciate this opportunity to spread the word about our mission to more people around the country and around the world.  If you have not seen the videos, watch them now! 


Pakistani Children Receive Soccer Balls

Kick For Nick soccer balls were donated to students at the Mashal Model School, a school set up by a Pakistani woman with the goal of providing educational opportunities to boys and girls from the Bari Imam slum in Islamabad, and children at the Edhi Home in Islamabad, a shelter for women and children.  This donation was part of the community service activities organized by alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs on the final day of the 2015 International Women's Empowerment Conference.

 

 

Civil Miliary Support - Lebanon

For more info about the children in the photo below, please see the story to the right.



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Silvermine School, Norwalk CT

In November, the students at the Silvermine Elementary School in Norwalk, CT collected soccer balls as a donation to Kick For Nick as part of their Veteran's Day program. Bill & Shalini were so proud to accept the balls during their assembly in the gym.

US Sports Diplomacy - Karichi
Click to watch video of the event!

U.S. Consul General Brian Heath with coaches from Karachi United Football Foundation (KUFF) and 14-17 year old children from underprivileged areas of Karachi at a football clinic organized by the U.S. Consulate Karachi.

 

The video is in Hindi so here is a brief translation. The 1st young man says, "We had a lot of fun playing with our American guests, we learned a lot from them and they from us". And the 2nd young man, "We should have more matches like this, more support for the growth of our children. Americans have come to our village, we are very happy. And we won the football match today, and feel very good".

Civil Military Support - Lebanon

The distribution of soccer balls to schools throughout Lebanon serves as a tool to bridge the differences among the diverse religious populations. 


Generally two soccer balls were distributed to each school visited throughout the country. As the most popular sport in the region, soccer is universally understood by youth of all religions and ethnic backgrounds.


Immediately upon receipt of the balls, children would engage in a pick-up soccer match including each and every child in the school, regardless of religion or nationality. 


The ability of these students to work as a team toward a common goal demonstrates the ability to look beyond religious disparities and coexist in a progressive state.

KFN in Honduras

Lt Col Mathew Contreras recently sent us the following note and photos from a ball distribution in Honduras. "...thank you for your continued support for the children of Honduras.  We just received a box of soccer balls yesterday.  Last week, we delivered a box to a remote village in the mountains during a chapel hike.  Over 160 JTF members hiked 25 lbs of perishable food and your soccer balls up 2,500 feet of terrain.   The host nation civilians were thrilled to receive both."


 

From Col. Kirk Corr Commander, Joint Task Force Bravo, Soto Cano AB, Honduras:


 

I [...] wanted to reach out to let you know that our outreach  programs in Nick's honor continues strongly to this day.


 

-All across Honduras, hundreds ofyoung kids enjoy the wide variety of the Foundation's items provided via Iris Medina (Community Relations Director) and LTC Carlos Moya (JTF-Bravo Civil-Military Operations Officer).


 

-I feel blessed to be a part of what has developed into a vibrant and  popular effort here. Sustaining the initiative over time is our focus.  We share Nick's legacy in all of our outreach events by taking the time to read the audience his story and share his love for young people and the game of soccer.

  
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