Heather Mitts Volunteers with Street Soccer USA

On a rainy day in Charlotte, Heather Mitts took the game of soccer off the muddy fields to an indoor court, to volunteer with the USA Street Soccer Team of Charlotte. The organization, which uses soccer as a medium for social change, is located in 16 cities across the US. They aim to get homeless men, women, and youth off the streets, “scoring goals on the field, and achieving their goals in life.”

During her visit on November 19th, Heather spent the afternoon working with players to enhance their game of soccer. The team, which just ended their fall season, had a lighthearted practice that where they worked on communication and ball handling skills with Heather. She also talked to the men and women about teamwork, serving as an ambassador for her country, and getting along well with others. Heather had a wonderful time working with the players.

“It was really special to be involved with the original homeless soccer team,” said Heather. “To hear how it started and to see how it has grown was pretty amazing. All of the players had different levels of skills. That was the only difference, as all were excited to play and eager to learn new things for their game. The energy was contagious. It is a great charity and I am excited to become more involved from here on out.”

The team is also very excited for Heather to become more involved. Having her participate in a practice fueled their enthusiasm for the game of soccer even more. They look forward to having her at another practice where they can not only improve on their soccer skills, but become inspired.


Learn More about the USA Street Soccer Team


Since 2009, SSUSA is incubated under the HELP USA umbrellas of social services. In just a few years, SSUSA has grown from one program to a 16 city league of programs across the country from Los Angeles to New York. SSUSA reaches more than 20% of the chronically homeless in a given service area, and realizes a 75% success rate in effecting a positive life change such as addressing a substance abuse problem or mental health issue, securing full-time employment or moving off the street. The sense of belonging, mentorship, and structure that SSUSA programs provide can be the difference between people languishing on the street and successfully re-integrating into society. Each year SSUSA hosts the Street Soccer USA Cup, a major sports for social change event. The first took place in Charlotte 2006. This summer the event will be hosted in Washington, DC by the Ted Leonsis Foundation and the Washington Kastles.

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