Grassroot Soccer is an international organization that uses soccer to educate and empower young people about health issues like HIV/AIDS. Through dynamic lessons and positive role models, their evidence-based programs have reached over 1.3 million at-risk youth. By hosting a charity soccer game, a college team can support Grassroot Soccer's mission while gaining benefits like unity, mentorship, and community engagement.

1. CHARITY GAME PARTNERSHIP
EDUCATE. INSPIRE. MOBILIZE.

2. GRASSROOT SOCCER IS AN INTERNATIONAL
ADOLESCENT HEALTH ORGANIZATION THAT EDUCATES,
INSPIRES, AND MOBILIZES YOUNG PEOPLE TO
OVERCOME THEIR GREATEST HEALTH CHALLENGES AND
LIVE HEALTHIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE LIVES

3. GRASSROOT SOCCER’S EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS
COMBINE SOCCER, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND POSITIVE
ROLE MODELS TO CREATE DYNAMIC LESSONS THAT
ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE, BREAK DOWN CULTURAL
BARRIERS, AND CHANGE DEEPLY EMBEDDED NORMS

4. GRASSROOT SOCCER HAS EMPOWERED MORE THAN
1.3 MILLION AT-RISK YOUTH IN 50 COUNTRIES WITH
ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROGRAMMING THAT HELPS
THEM CREATE AN AIDS FREE GENERATION

5. BY HOSTING A GRASSROOT SOCCER CHARITY
GAME, YOUR TEAM UNLOCKS THE POWER OF
SPORT, UNITES AROUND A COMMON CAUSE,
AND EMPOWERS AT-RISK YOUNG PEOPLE
WORLDWIDE.

6. A HISTORY OF PARTNERSHIP
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE • NOTRE DAME • BROWN UNIVERSITY •
OBERLIN • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND • WAKE FOREST • TUFTS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • YALE • CASTLETON COLLEGE

7. TEAM
BENEFITS
UNITY Players find motivation
and comradery in the opportunity
to play for an important cause
MENTORSHIP The coaching
staff brings new depth to the
game and inspires the team with
expectations that go beyond wins
and losses
COMMUNITY By embracing
soccer for social good, the team
has an opportunity to connect
with the soccer community in a
new and meaningful way
PRE-SEASON TOUR
Opportunity for a pre-season trip
to Africa to play against top sides
and create life-changing
experiences

8. PLAYERS
BENEFITS
SOCCER FOR GOOD Players
experience soccer’s power to do
good beyond the touchlines and
learn about their role as athletes in
the global community
SOCIAL IMPACT Players leverage
their position to spread awareness
and change the odds for their at-risk
peers around the world; every $25
they raise provides life-skills
education for one young person
INTERNSHIPS Many players
choose to join the more than 200
college graduates who have spent a
life-changing year working with
Grassroot Soccer in Africa

9. HOW IT WORKS
CHARITY GAMES ARE LOW-BURDEN, TURNKEY EVENTS DRIVEN BY
PLAYERS WITH SUPPORT FROM GRASSROOT SOCCER.
CHOOSE A GAME The team designates a regular season or
exhibition game as a ‘Grassroot Soccer Charity Game’.
ASSSMEBLE A LEADERSHIP TEAM A group of players, often the
captains or the team’s charitable committee, works closely with
Grassroot Soccer to learn about sport for social good and the Charity
Game process. They will lead the team’s effort.
LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN With support from Grassroot Soccer, the
players launch a fun peer-to-peer awareness and fundraising
campaign. Grassroot Soccer builds a Crowdrise webpage for the
team’s use.
PLAY FOR A PURPOSE On game day, the team warms up in tee
shirts provided by Grassroot Soccer and displays banners around the
field; the announcer speaks about Grassroot Soccer and the purpose
driving the game; the game day program explains Grassroot Soccer’s
work and showcases the team’s effort to support an important cause.

10. CASE STUDY | DARTMOUTH COLLEGE 2015
LOW COACHING STAFF BURDEN Once they had approved the charity
game, Dartmouth’s coaching staff allowed their captains and select
players to coordinate the charity game effort. Grassroot Soccer
provided ongoing support to ensure that the coaching staff would
remain unburdened.
PLAYER COMMITMENT Grassroot Soccer taught the leading players
about HIV, the health challenges faced by young people in developing
nations, and the sport-for-development solution. The captains in turn
taught other players and the entire team galvanized around the cause.
REAL IMPACT Through a basic online campaign, Dartmouth raised
enough to fund programs for 548 at-risk young people; messaging and
branding at the game generated community-wide awareness for
adolescent health issues in southern Africa.
LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE Two players went on to year-long
internships with Grassroot Soccer in South Africa and Zambia.
Multiple Dartmouth Soccer alumni have chosen to pursue

11. WITH YOUR TEAM’S HELP, GRASSROOT SOCCER
IS EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO LIVE
LONGER, HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER LIVES!

12. OUR TEAM OF SUPPORTERS
CORPORATE PARTNERS
FOUNDATIONS
AGENCIES AND CHARITES

13. www.grassrootsoccer.org
ssanderson@grassrootsoccer.org
(802) 649-2900
Facebook: Grassroot Soccer
Twitter: @grassrootsoccer
Instagram: grassrootsoccer