Soccer For Social Change

For Lawrence Cann, ending homelessness is a team sport that anyone can play. That's why he was recently in Charlotte, NC for a soccer tournament featuring six teams of homeless and formerly homeless players from as far away as Minneapolis.

"We believe homelessness is a symptom of the breakdown of community," said Cann, founder of the nonprofit Street Soccer USA. "We're building that back up."

Cann started a soccer program for the homeless at Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center about five years ago. The goal: Create a structured, familylike environment with a team that helps players build self-confidence and learn life skills while kicking a ball around.

The project has expanded to 19 more cities and boasts a 75 percent success rate in connecting players with jobs, schooling or housing after one year in the program, Cann said. Read the rest of the story from the Charlotte Observer.