by Owen Kingsley (WGME)
Saturday, May 28th, 2022
Click Here to View Article and Video: https://wgme.com/news/local/immigrant-welcome-center-using-soccer-to-embrace-young-mainers
PORTLAND (WGME) - The Maine Immigrant Welcome Center, along with the folks who are trying to bring a professional soccer team to Maine, brought out dozens of kids to Kennedy Park in Portland Saturday morning.
The Maine Immigrant Welcome Center teamed up with USL to Portland, a private leadership team bringing professional soccer to the city.
“Really just sort of a community gathering using soccer as a way to bring our growing global community out. Have a little fun," said Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, who is the founder of USL to Portland.
“Free soccer balls, free books, information about Southern Maine Community College," said Reza Jalali, Executive Director of the Maine Immigrant Welcome Center. “In a way, informing the community members of all the resources we have in the community.”
Coming from 18 different countries, not many of these kids share the same enthusiasm for traditional American sports.
But soccer is a powerful way for them to engage in the community.
“It’s just my future to be a soccer player," said Levi Sores, an immigrant from Portugal.
“Through soccer they get a little piece of home. They get to have some fun and feel like they belong here," said Hoffman-Johnson.
A sense of belonging helping build a sense of community.
“We want to engage them, help them to go to college," said Jalali. “We’re talking about that they need to participate in the community, to volunteer, things like that."
The Immigrant Welcome Center plans to hold these events all through summer.
“This is so exciting to see Portland, Maine changing and to see Portland, Maine being so accepting a d welcoming," said Jalali.