PEACE IS THE GOAL
Submitted by peaceisthegoal10 on Wed, 04/11/2007 - 12:19.
Last updated on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:20.
Vital Stats
ongoing project
10/01/2006
People Impacted:
10000People Involved: 1
Money Raised: $920
Project Photos
Project Video
The Problem
My name is Mitchell and I’m a 17-year-old student/soccer player from Wisconsin. I started Peace Is The Goal as a goodwill initiative in October 2006 when I was 13 years old. This ongoing initiative aims to make the world a better place to live in by spreading the message of peace and giving through “the world’s game”, soccer.
Many kids in the world have little, if anything. They are desperately looking for something positive to do. They love the sport of soccer, but many don’t even have real equipment to play the game. Rocks, plastic bottles or garbage are often used as balls.
Why It's Important
It began with a car drive from Milwaukee to Fort Atkinson. During that trip, I detailed to my dad my desire to make a difference in the world.
I developed the concept for Peace Is The Goal, as well as its name. I followed that up by earning the initial seed money for my initiative. I made money by refereeing several soccer games each weekend and providing babysitting services at night. I set up meetings with local sporting goods distributors and brokered deals with them to purchase soccer equipment.
I developed Peace Is The Goal Web sites through great sites such as DoSomething.org. Ever since then, I have found worthy causes and contacted point people at those entities. I pick, pack and ship the equipment and ensure that the supplies make it to their proper destination.
Peace Is The Goal aims to make the world a better place to live by spreading the message of peace and giving through “the world’s game”, soccer. I created Peace Is The Goal to give needy kids soccer equipment (balls, cleats, goalie gloves, shinguards, pumps, storage, uniforms), give them something positive to do, give them hope and give them a smile.
Note: Peace Is The Goal was recently featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper. Read the article by clicking on the link: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/34942514.html
The Plan Of Action
Over the initiative’s first 40 months, I have completed 68 projects which have delivered more than 1,700 pieces of soccer equipment (worth more than $18,000) to orphanages, schools, missions, churches, agencies and individuals that house, shelter, educate and provide direction to kids in 34 countries. These kids live in dire conditions in nations such as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the United States.
Peace Is The Goal projects to date include:
November 2006: Institution Universe school in Ouanaminthe, Haiti
Items donated: 36 soccer balls, 6 large soccer ball storage bags, 6 soccer pumps
February 2007: La Vega Christian School in La Vega, the Dominican Republic
Items donated: 6 soccer balls, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer pumps, 1 youth instruction trainer
March 2007: G.O. Ministries and G.O. Ministries Sports Outreach serving in Santiago, the Dominican Republic; Batey Nueve, the Dominican Republic; and Ouanaminthe, Haiti
Items donated: 10 soccer balls, 2 soccer pumps
April 2007: Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas project in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
Items donated: 5 soccer balls, 1 soccer pump
April 2007: Maison Fortune Orphanage in Hinche, Haiti
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
May 2007: Ball for All project aiding children in Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump, 2 pairs of soccer cleats
June 2007: Soccer for Life project aiding children in Honduras
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
July 2007: World Vision project aiding children in Africa
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 1 soccer pump
July 2007: Project aiding children in Ecuador
Items donated: 10 soccer balls, 2 soccer pumps
August 2007: Institution Univers school in Ouanaminthe, Haiti
Items donated: 8 soccer balls
August 2007: Guadalupe Preparatory School (independent charter school for impoverished and at-risk youth) in Guadalupe, Arizona
Items donated: 14 soccer balls, 1 basketball, 2 playground balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 2 soccer pumps
September 2007: Operation Enduring Hope project aiding children in Afghanistan
Items donated: 10 soccer balls, 1 soccer pump
October 2007: Any Soldier project to aid Iraq children and protect U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq
Items donated: 11 soccer balls, 1 medium soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
October 2007: Any Soldier project to aid Iraq children and protect U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq
Items donated: 11 soccer balls, 1 medium soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
November 2007: Any Soldier project to aid Afghanistan children and protect U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
December 2007: Any Soldier project to aid Iraq children and protect U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq
Items donated: 16 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer backpack, 1 soccer pump, 3 pairs of used soccer cleats
January 2008: Rancho San Juan Bosco orphanage in Tecate, Mexico
Items donated: 16 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump, 2 pairs of soccer goalkeeper gloves
February 2008: Jamaica National Children’s Home
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 1 soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
February 2008: Project aiding orphanage in Vietnam
Items donated: 6 soccer balls, 1 soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
March 2008: Held one-day soccer camp for Yaqui Native American kids in Guadalupe, Arizona
Items donated: 20 soccer ball bags, one soccer ball, one soccer skills DVD, one soccer skills book
April 2008: Oyate Teca project aiding Lakota kids on the Pine Ridge Reservation in Kyle, S.D.
Items donated: 8 soccer balls, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
April 2008: Arab mission project aiding Eugemot orphanage in Ghana, Africa
Items donated: 6 soccer balls, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves
May 2008: Any Female Soldier project to help create youth soccer tournament in Serbia
Items donated: 10 soccer balls, 3 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 2 pairs of shinguards, 1 soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
June 2008: Any Soldier project to aid Iraq children and protect U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq
Items donated: 11 soccer balls, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
June 2008: Project aiding the Blessed Hope Orphanage and Academy in Uganda
Items donated: 13 soccer balls, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer pump
July 2008: Project aiding Outreached Hands of Romania, located in Calarasi, Romania
Items donated: 20 soccer balls, 4 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 4 soccer field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer pumps, 1 soccer training DVD, 1 soccer training book
August 2008: Held soccer day for students of Haiti’s Institution Univers school visiting Fort Atkinson, Wis.
Items donated: 4 soccer balls, 4 soccer ball backpacks, 13 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 4 soccer ball pumps, 34 pairs of soccer cleats, 4 pairs of shinguards, 30 soccer jerseys, 15 soccer shorts
September 2008: Project to help equip soccer clinics for Latin American youth in Charleston, S.C.
Items donated: 11 soccer balls, 6 soccer ball backpacks, 3 large soccer ball storage bags, 3 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 2 pairs of soccer cleats, 2 pairs of shinguards
September 2008: Any Soldier project to help equip sports field in Kosovo
Items donated: 5 soccer balls, 1 pair of goalkeeper gloves, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
October 2008: Any Airman project to aid youth in the Philippines
Items donated: 15 soccer balls, 4 soccer field cones, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
October 2008: America SCORES project to aid kids in Cleveland
Items donated: 6 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 medium-sized soccer ball storage bag, 1 pair of goalkeeper gloves, 1 soccer ball pump, 1 soccer training DVD, 1 soccer training book
October 2008: Project assisting the Naivasha Rescue Shelter for orphans and abused children in Naivasha, Kenya
Items donated: 25 soccer balls, 4 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps
October 2008: America SCORES project to aid kids in Dallas
Items donated: 16 soccer balls, 8 field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 1 medium-sized soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
November 2008: Soccer for Life project aiding children in Honduras
Items donated: 50 soccer jerseys, 35 pairs of soccer shorts, 4 pairs of soccer socks
December 2008: Any Soldier / U.S. Embassy project aiding children in Colombia
Items donated: 15 soccer balls, 3 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps
December 2008: Project to help kids in Italy
Items donated: 3 soccer balls, 2 soccer ball pumps
December 2008: Christmas project to help kids at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee
Items donated: 24 soccer balls, 2 large soccer ball storage bags
January 2009: Project aiding Together We Rise soccer camp for underprivileged children in Chino, California
Items donated: 15 soccer balls, 3 soccer ball pumps, 2 large soccer ball storage bags
January 2009: Any Soldier project to aid kids and protect U.S. service personnel in Djibouti
Items donated: 11 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
February 2009: Project to help create youth soccer club in San Pedro Laguna, the Philippines
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 4 field cones, 2 soccer ball pumps, 2 large soccer ball bags, 2 soccer training videos, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 2 goalkeeper jerseys, 1 soccer training DVD, 1 soccer training book
February 2009: Project in conjunction with wellness efforts by Heal Africa (U.S. doctors on health mission) in Rwanda
Items donated: 2 soccer balls, 1 soccer ball pump
February 2009: Project working to re-establish organized youth soccer in Iraq through U.S. State Department and U.S. military
Items donated: 14 soccer balls, 2 soccer ball pumps, 2 large soccer ball bags, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves
February 2009: Project to help kids in Caxias do Sul, Brazil
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 2 ball storage bags, 1 soccer ball pump
February 2009: Project to create athletic opportunities for kids at the Grace Home Orphanage in Andra Pradesh, India
Items donated: 14 soccer balls, 2 soccer ball pumps, 2 ball storage bags
March 2009: Project aiding Outreached Hands of Romania, located in Calarasi, Romania
Items donated: 30 soccer balls, 18 soccer jerseys, 1 goalkeeper jersey, 12 pairs of shinguards, 8 field cones, 6 equipment storage bags, 2 ball pumps, extra pump needles
March 2009: Project aiding Outreached Hands of Romania, located in Calarasi, Romania
Items donated: 27 pairs of soccer cleats, 13 soccer jerseys
April 2009: Soccer camp for Yaqui Native American kids in Guadalupe, Arizona
Items donated: 23 soccer camp medals, 6 trophies, 11 soccer field cones, 4 soccer balls, 1 ball pump
April 2009: Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas project in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
Items donated: 10 soccer balls
May 2009: Community Development Through Sports project in Uganda
Items donated: 16 soccer balls, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 2 large equipment storage bags, 2 ball pumps
May 2009: America SCORES project to aid kids in Milwaukee
Items donated: 15 soccer balls, 4 field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps, 1 soccer training toolkit
May 2009: Project to aid children in Namibia
Items donated: 4 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
May 2009: Project to aid orphans in Ethiopia
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer mini-goal kit
June 2009: Project to aid Big Brothers Big Sisters afterschool program in Milwaukee, Wis.
Items donated: 16 soccer balls, 4 field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 1 soccer ball pump
June 2009: Project to aid Big Brothers Big Sisters afterschool program in Philadelphia
Items donated: 18 soccer balls, 4 field cones, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
July 2009: Any Sailor project to "promote cooperation and hospitality" in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 5 pairs of shinguards, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps
August 2009: Project to help create soccer program in Belize
Items donated: 15 soccer balls, 24 soccer jerseys, 18 pairs of shorts, 18 pairs of cleats, 16 field cones, 12 pairs of soccer socks, 10 pairs of shinguards, 3 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 3 pumps, 2 large soccer ball storage bags
August 2009: G.O. Ministries project to help kids in the Dominican Republic
Items donated: 13 soccer balls, 8 field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps
August 2009: World Hope project to aid kids along the Amazon River Basin in Brazil
Items donated: 22 soccer balls, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps
August 2009: Project to help new soccer program for Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus, Ohio
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 8 field cones, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
September 2009: Any Soldier project to help kids and create school sports programs in Iraq
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 4 soccer ball backpacks, 2 soccer ball pumps
October 2009: Project to create sports programs for HIV-positive children at schools in Botswana
Items donated: 22 soccer balls, 6 large soccer ball storage bags, 5 soccer ball pumps
October 2009: Project to help Tulane University mission trip to orphanages and schools in Honduras
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 1 large soccer ball storage bag, 1 soccer ball pump
November 2009: America SCORES project to aid kids in Milwaukee
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 3 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps, 1 pair of goalkeeper gloves
November 2009: Orphan Helpers project to aid orphanages in El Salvador
Items donated: 20 soccer balls, 8 soccer field cones, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 2 soccer ball pumps, 2 coaches whistles, 1 pair of goalkeeper gloves
December 2009: First United Methodist Church Christmas mission project to benefit kids in Kosovo
Items donated: 44 soccer balls, 3 large soccer ball storage bags, 3 soccer ball pumps
December 2009: Project to benefit Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin
Items donated: 30 soccer T-shirt jerseys, 2 soccer hats
January 2010: Soccer for Life Project to benefit kids in Honduras
Items donated: 40 soccer jerseys, 39 pairs of soccer pairs, 32 pairs of soccer socks, 26 pairs of cleats, 2 pairs of goalkeeper pants
January 2010: Project to benefit orphans in Liberia
Items donated: 12 soccer balls, 7 soccer ball backpacks, 2 large soccer ball storage bags, 1 soccer ball pump
My initiative and drive have led to some pretty aggressive goals. I am driven to expand this project in 2009 and beyond. I hope that my gifts create a link between youth in American and in other nations, and serve as a model that stresses the importance of doing good works. Anyone, even a kid from a small town in Wisconsin, can create change and foster an environment of understanding.
How Can Others Get Involved?
I have worked hard to advance PITG from a good idea to an initiative that is tangibly helping others. If you would like to contribute soccer equipment or funds to this cause, please let me know I am seeking donations of equipment or funds in order to help expand the reach of my foundation. Equipment can be new or gently used soccer balls, soccer cleats, jerseys, goalkeeper gloves or any other soccer items. Contact me (peaceisthegoal10@hotmail.com) to arrange a shipment.
Also, my little brother, Evan, just started a goodwill initiative called Step Up To The Plate. Check out his DoSomething Web site at www.dosomething.org/project/step-up-to-the-plate
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Comments
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Mitchell,
I really admire your idea and initiative. After reading about your project I have suggested to our soccer club in upstate New York, that we collect our past year's uniforms (jerseys and shorts) and offer them to your group. Would you be interested? Our club is the Niskayuna Soccer Club www.niskayunasoccerclub.com with over 300 kids playing travel soccer. Each year we are provided with new professional jerseys and shorts that are only used one season. The donation at our club will be voluntary, so I don't know how many we'll end up with, but I wanted to contact you to see what you think. My email address is emelby@nycap.rr.com. Thanks!
Elsa Melby
Thank you to the Niskayuna Soccer Club for shipping me several boxes of soccer jerseys and shorts. These will be sent to help develop soccer programs in various parts of the world.
hay my name is jessica i whould love to help u out if u help my thing out its call teen pergnancy is not cute
I think sports are the oldest and most effective ways to mediate conflicts. This project has a lot of potential.
Awesome idea! I love the idea of people gathering around soccer, which rocks! Keep up the good work. I love what you're doing!
Sweet, I say we should team up!
Thank you for your great work done to help deprive people in football activities.
We are charity voluntary organization from Ghana called volunteers for amelioration of rural areas(VARA) www.varas.org Ghana.Our main aim is to improve deprived rural communities through education,health,physical activities for instance football games.
Also we organize football activities for orphans for them to feel happy as well as exercise their body both mental and physical.
We therefore seek your help to get us footballs,jerseys,boots.goalkeeper gloves etc.
This will help us organize the football game.
Thanks and hope to hear from you.
The Team
www.varas.org
Special thanks go out to Kevin Carroll, who has been a special mentor to me and Peace Is The Goal. Kevin is the author of the "Rules of the Red Rubber Ball" book series. I recommend these books to all kids who are looking to use sports to create social change.
wow. this is awesome! great job man. I am also from WI, and really want to make a difference in our world. This really inspires me to push myself!
Special thanks to Mr. John Assadi for helping support Peace Is The Goal! Your assistance helps me to expand the foundation's message and reach. You rock!
so i am totally into this. love it.
how do you decide where to send the stuff? how do you pick?
and are you going to do anythign special around the world cup next year?
Thanks for the comment. I select entities for projects based on several criteria, but the main ones are need and the ability to actually get packages to the school/orphanage/etc. I find worthy groups by searching on Google, exploring links sent by people and through word of mouth. I try to complete at least one major project per month. I am also planning several in-person activities (soccer camps) for 2009.
Do you have a DoSomething project? If so, I'd like to hear about it.
This article: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245184849990&pagename=JPost%...
reminded me of your project -- thought I would pass it along. Keep up the great work!
This is an amazing idea. I am looking for a way to send supplies to needy children and was wondering how you found out where to send the items. You are truly an inspiration.
SPECIAL THANKS GO TO MY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER COACH, JOHN VON KLOPP. He is promoting Peace Is The Goal at his upcoming soccer camps and asking campers to bring in soccer equipment to go to my cause. You can check out Coach Von Klopp's camp work at www.soaringsoccer.com.
I think sports are the oldest and most effective ways to mediate conflicts. This project has a lot of potential.
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great idea michael. i recently saw a story on espn about a foundation that was doing a similar sort of project. the founders of the charity had a son who died in iraq who loved soccer. in honor of their son, the parents collected thousands of soccer balls to send to young kids near bagdhad and it really has made a difference in those kids' lives
Hello Mitch,
your father Paul contacting over the phone and email and sent me a link here. AMAZING! You really are changing peoples lives and promoting peace with this simple concept.
I am fortunate enough to be going on a mission trip to Brazil on a boat all along the Amazon river administering medical aid to people as well as dental aid and to share God's love. I know that soccer is one thing that all kids over there adore and will play with whatever looks like a ball!
I am trying to acquire some soccer balls and maybe jerseys to bring with us to give out. The trip has more details at http://www.amazon-mission.org/index.php .
Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any extra supplies you could donate.
thanks a million....CARTER (407)454--4876
or
CPBrackett@yahoo.com
Awesome idea! I love the idea of people gathering around soccer, which rocks! Keep up the good work. I love what you're doing!
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thanks for posting the project photos.
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