See It: The Community being helped

My name is Mitchell Arnold and I’m a 15-year-old student/soccer player from Wisconsin. I started Peace Is The Goal as a goodwill initiative in October 2006. This ongoing initiative aims to make the world a better place to live by spreading the message of peace and giving through “the world’s game”, soccer.

Over the initiative’s first 21 months, I have completed 25 projects which have delivered more than 350 pieces of new soccer equipment (worth more than $4,500) to orphanages, schools, missions, churches, agencies and individuals that house, shelter, educate and provide direction to kids. These kids live in dire conditions in countries such as Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, Jamaica, Vietnam, Senegal, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States.

These kids 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. I created Peace Is The Goal to give needy kids soccer equipment (balls, cleats, goalie gloves, shinguards, pumps and storage), give them something positive to do, give them hope and give them a smile.

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.

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.

Peace Is The Goal projects to date include:

November 2006: Institution Univers 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