At the beginning of this year, LeagueApps set out on a mission to give back to the community in the way we know best—through youth sports. Our plan was to raise $100,000 to help make youth sports accessible for all—$50,000 of that would go toward our partner, South Bronx United, to help them build a mini soccer pitch to provide more soccer opportunities in their community. 

Due to the lasting impacts of Covid, we weren’t able to get together in person for this fundraiser, which naturally posed added challenges. However, that didn’t stop us from surpassing our goal and raising over $150,000 toward our goal from 577 supporters. Yup, you read that right. We surpassed our goal by $50,000.

We finally got together with South Bronx United and celebrated the opening of the soccer pitch which will give direct opportunities for more kids in underserved communities to play. 

“SBU has made a huge impact on my life and I’m so grateful for all of the staff. This newer and safer environment is going to help us better work and improve our focus. It’s safer, cleaner, and newer than the other environment we used to have. I’m sure everybody is very grateful for this space, because I am,” Susanna, who plays for South Bronx United, said at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The reason we partner with South Bronx United is clear—they are a leader in the sports-based youth development space, using soccer as a vehicle for social change by combining athletics with academic support, college access, mentoring, immigration legal services and more. They reach 1,300 youth annually, and presently have a 100% high school graduation rate as well as a 94% college matriculation rate. South Bronx United has the same goals we have at LeagueApps—to increase access to play for all, especially those communities with barriers to it. That’s why we helped them build this soccer pitch and why we provide them with our youth sports management software for free, for life, through our FundPlay initiative. 

South Bronx United is always looking for community support to continue to provide amazing youth soccer and educational opportunities to the South Bronx community. The organization is able to operate because of more than 300 volunteers annually dedicated to working with youth both on the soccer field and in the classroom. 

Their volunteer opportunities range from youth tutors, college prep tutors, and mentors, to soccer coaches, immigration legal services, and photographers. To apply to volunteer for South Bronx United, click here.

“We make this all work through the support of campaigns like the FundPlay campaign, through donations, through grants. Our entire budget is built through fundraising,” says Executive Director of SBU Andrew So.

Monetary donations allow South Bronx United to:

• Give thousands of South Bronx children the chance to play the world’s game
• Ensure 224 South Bronx teens graduated high school
• Help 208 Young Leaders attend college
• Provide 191 middle and high school students each year with tutoring, academic enrichment, and college prep
• Supported 57 Men and Women in earning their Bachelor’s Degrees
• Assist 31 undocumented youth in receiving legal permanent residency
• Deliver at least 10 Hours of programming per week for each SBU Academy participant

If you’d rather give a monetary donation, click here.