The U.S. Soccer Foundation has awarded an $80,000 grant to Joy of the People, a nonprofit soccer center housed at South St. Anthony Recreation Center, that promotes the idea of soccer free play as a way to build healthy kids and communities. The grant will be used to help fund JOTP’s Field of Joy Project, an all- condition synthetic turf field.
“With JOTP located on the central corridor light rail, our Free Play environment and this new field will connect thousands of kids to a safe place to play [soccer],” said Ted Kroeten, founder and artistic director of the organization.
Under the grant rules, Kroeten has about 18 months to raise $340,000 to make the synthetic turf field a reality.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the major charitable arm of soccer in the United States, announced that it has awarded 48 grants totaling more than $2.4 million to non profit organizations serving youth in underserved areas across 21 states and the District of Columbia.
The foundation strives to assist and grow the sport of soccer, as well as improve the well being of children in under resourced communities, by awarding grants to support all aspects of the game. Specifically, non profit organizations that provide children with the opportunity to play soccer and live a healthy lifestyle are awarded grants to support their programming and field building initiatives.
