We Welcome to Assist Goals
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Again, what sits in your home stands to change a life, this time, soccer style.
FC CONGO AZ
Do you want to help FC Congo AZ and resettled Congolese refugees achieve their goals? @fc_congo_az is a @welcometoamericaproject and @freekicks_az sponsored soccer program made up of refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo who’ve resettled to Arizona. The team is a wonderful community of players, coaches and supporters who are helping refugees to score, on an off the pitch. The adult team will play its first league season soon in the Scottsdale United Adult Soccer League.
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A REAL COMMUNITY
This program is about much more than soccer, helping game plans for life. Refugees arrive to a new land, without possessions, often unfamiliar with language, and needing to quickly find work in order to support themselves. They may have fled life threatening situations in their homeland but the first months of US resettlement can still be intimidating, even lonely. This soccer initiative will build community, ascension through recreation, as the team, coaches and fans support each other to navigate resettlement paths.
Regarding FC Congo AZ, team organizer Alenga Alokolo, a refugee himself and now a Refugee Youth Mentoring Case Manager at Chicanos Por La Causa, said “Life's most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
Alenga arrived from DRC Congo 5 years ago and recently graduated from Arizona State University. His passion is to help the community by connecting them with support services on their journeys to self-sufficiency. Alenga’s main purpose with FC Congo AZ is to transform young people to become leaders and change agents in our community.
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ASSISTING WITH GOALS
Effendi Ortiz-Toro, who arrived to the United States mainland from Puerto Rico as a young man and since has become an accomplished biotech executive, made a substantial donation to this effort, allowing the players to feel the pride of uniforms, home and away. Effendi, who knows what it is like to face uncertainty alone in a new community, said of his support, “You could go as far as you want in life as long as you believe in yourself and surround yourself with people that challenge you and want you to be better. Just like playing soccer, you’ll excel while helping your teammates to become even better. And always do the right thing, even when others disagree.” Gracias, Don Effendi!
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Among the other contributors to FC Congo AZ are Freekicks AZ, an organization founded by University of Virginia student Connor White while he was a student at Brophy College Preparatory, and now presided over by his brother Matthew White, a current Brophy sophomore. Freekicks, a partner to WTAP for many years, has shared high-quality soccer gear (soccer balls, kits, cleats, clothing, equipment), designed logos and jerseys, and more with FC Congo AZ and our refugee community.
“I want refugees to have as many opportunities as everyone else to play soccer and integrate into our communities. Freekicks is about being part of a team, a ‘we’ attitude about helping each other and lifting each other up, on and off the field. These amazing refugees inspire me by their relentless pursuit of achieving dreams and being the best they can be. I want to help them with those dreams," said Matthew.
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The team will also have a state of the art website, fccongoaz.com, a gift from WTAP friend, Peter Liefer II, the founder of Primeview, a top tier digital marketing & web design firm. With Primeview’s design, resettled Congolese refugees can follow the team and also learn about social and community events - job fairs, health events, computer classes, club picnics, etc.
HOW YOU CAN ASSIST
March 20 is Super Soccer Saturday, a day that FC Congo AZ will be collecting community soccer-related donations at our warehouse. New or gently-used cleats, shorts, socks, practice gear, fan gear, balls, shin guards, soccer (camping) chairs, coolers and anything else that will help refugees and supporters to kick it with glee. Any and all sizes are accepted, as the team will share small gear with Congolese youth. Plus, any funds (payable to WTAP, noted FC Congo) to support our sponsorship of FC Congo AZ can be dropped off on March 20 or donated at wtap.org. We are all a part of the welcome. Let’s all be a part of the team.
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COVID CAUTION
See you there? It’s a drive-thru event to keep everybody safe.
TIME AND LOCATION
March 20, 9 AM - 12 PM
The Welcome to America Project
1711 W. University Drive, #158
Tempe, AZ 85281
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The Welcome to America Project
1711 W. University Dr. #158, Tempe, AZ 85281
602-490-0088
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