The following is from South Mountain Soccer:
The South Orange Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs will receive a generous donation of $1,500 from the Stop & Shop of South Orange, making Stop & Shop the exclusive and first ever sponsor of South Mountain Soccer for the Fall 2016 season. This sponsorship will provide full financial aid for many participating soccer players this season. In addition to the sponsorship, Stop & Shop will donate healthy drinks and snacks to be sold by parent volunteers at home games. The money raised through these sales will go toward purchasing equipment, such as cleats and shin guards, for players needing assistance with such items.
The South Orange Village Fund for Recreation & Cultural Affairs provides financial aid to South Orange and Maplewood children in need of assistance in order to participate in recreational programs. The Stop & Shop donation will be directed specifically towards those enrolled in the South Mountain Soccer program this fall. This collaborative effort is the result of hard work on the part of “Soccerhood,” a local volunteer organization assisting kids from immigrant families in the South Orange/Maplewood School District ELL (English Language Learning) programs. Many of these children need assistance with the logistical and financial aspects of participating in the local recreational programs. Soccerhood’s aim is to help integrate these children and their families into our community through the shared love of soccer.
The South Mountain soccer program is open to boys and girls from Maplewood and South Orange from the ages of 8-16. It is a fun yet competitive league in which many kids play from 3rd grade through middle school and beyond. This season the program had enough players interested to add a boys U17 team, allowing older teens to continue playing recreational soccer.
The sponsorship by Stop & Shop is a wonderful example of a local business playing an active role in the betterment of our community. Their sponsorship and generous donation brings access to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate. We thank Stop & Shop for playing such an active role in making South Orange and Maplewood a great place to live!
