Sofive Brooklyn Soccer Center Provides Community and Hope for Migrant Families through Free Football Program

A soccer center in Brooklyn is offering a crucial sense of community for migrant families from around the world through its program, Sofive Brooklyn Soccer Center. The initiative aims to provide youngsters with an enjoyable and child-friendly environment for playing football while also serving as a vital support network for their parents during these uncertain times. A mother who fled Venezuela along with her three children has shared that she finds solace in the bi-monthly Saturday soccer schedule, which is now part of their routine here in New York City. The 10-, 8-, and 4-year-old siblings adore this program, as they have named Lionel Messi as their favorite footballer. Volunteer Talya Landesberg has explained that approximately forty kids are currently enrolled in the A3FC soccer clinic for migrant children at Sofive Brooklyn Soccer Center, which is entirely free of charge – from equipment to registration fees. This program serves not only as a platform for youngsters to play football but also enables them to establish roots and acclimate themselves to their new environment amidst uncertain circumstances such as residing in city-operated shelters without the means to afford similar programs, according to migrant activist Power Malu’s organization Artists Athletes Activists. As a frontline worker who greets migrants when they arrive at New York City and observes their apprehensive disposition ridden with fear and anxiety, Mr.Malau recognizes how this program can bring about an 180-degree transformation in the way these individuals perceive themselves – from feeling distressed to being welcomed into a new community that offers them hope for better days ahead. The mother of three expressed her gratitude by stating: “I feel happy because my children are also happy.”