Our Supporters

Marina Korberg at the Vernon Toyota Indoor Sports Centre
Elephant Storage Centre - donated unit currently overflowing with the collected items
All Vernon soccer players with their donations of gently used soccer gear
Tianna Colvin - website design
Zee Azimi - The Goal of Kindness logo & website enhancement
Nathan Allen - designer of JFA logo
The Zimbabwe Project - zimbabweproject.com
Mike Hill - designer and builder of collection bin at Vernon Toyota Indoor Sports Centre
Everyone who has taken a 'soccer kit' with them on their holiday or trip abroad
Mark at Canadian Tire for discounts on soccer balls and pumps
Rutland Soccer Association for a large donation of soccer balls
former Goplen Drillers Soccer Team for funding the collection bin at the indoor facility
Friends and Family who help with sorting and creating 'soccer kits'
White Caps soccer franchise for a donation of jerseys

Impact testimonies

Zimbabwe and Malawi

In 2012, we took our kids ages 9 & 11 out of school for a year to travel.

My son, Landon, wrote a book called Spirit Wolf which we printed to sell and with

the money he earned he purchased Soccer Shorts to bring to Zimbabwe where we

volunteered with the Zimbabwe Project in villages outside of Harare.My Vernon

soccer teams jerseys were happily received by The Osborn Hunters in Zimbabwe.

In Malawi, we were blessed to meet our Sponsored Child Oziyassi and Landon

presented him with his own soccer jersey!

Shelley Zupp & The Colvin Crew

On behalf of the Osborne Hunters F.C., our Patrons and the entire Chikumbu Community we would like to thank you and your

team for the waverly support you have showed to us. Kindly we believe this is just the beginning of the long journey ahead

and we are hopeful that you are going to keep on supporting developments in Chikumbu Village. What you have just done

are the fruits of love, care and concern and we will keep on praying for that spirit to keep on growing in you. May you please

extend our lovely greetings and thanks to all your fellows in Canada who played a vital role in various contributions towards the

Hunters. May the grace, love and joy of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, until we meet again.

Best Regards,

N.Musa

Team Secretary

“A significant number of youth have been forced to drop from school because either the parents have failed to pay the school fees or both parents have died of AIDS. Lack of entertainment within the Zimbabwe rural communities is also contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS. We have discovered that through soccer we can unify the people and provide entertainment for them. Once we manage to unify the youth we can then start income generating projects for them. Soccer has been playing a pivotal role in unifying the communities and resources are the only challenge we have. Ladies and gentleman I assure you that soccer is playing a vital role in changing the mindset of our youths in the rural areas. For us to achieve our goal of community development through soccer we cordially need your support and assistance. May God bless you in your support.”

-Peter Maguwu GKT (trustee) Zimbabwe

2014-01-20 – Jody O’Shea Orphanage, Bali Indonesia

Hello Shelley,

I just wanted to say that visiting Jody O’Shea Orphanage prior to Christmas in Bali Indonesia was a memorable experience for our family. Prior to our trip to Bali my wife Christie and I were discussing with our sons Taylor (10) and Conrad (7) how we could do something nice for the less fortunate while we were there. I was thinking it would be nice to give something or do something that may even just make a small difference in someone’s life..

We were originally brain storming about what we could stuff in our suitcases that kids

there could use and appreciate.. I’m glad I had a conversation with you at work

knowing that you had just been to Africa.. The two sets of soccer jerseys and soccer

balls were a big hit... The kids really appreciated them.

As fast as I was pumping up the soccer balls the kids were immediately playing with

them. In addition we did some shopping before arriving onsite and purchased cakes

and drinks for all of the kids as treat..

A little history about the orphanage... Jody O’Shea was a young Australian lady who

was unfortunately killed in the 2002 bombing in Bali. Her family and friends created

the orphanage in her honor and its operation is still supported by friends and family

volunteering on a regular basis. There are approximately 90 kids that attend this

facility.I have attached a few shots that we took while visiting with the kids and faculty.

Darrin Halloran and family

2014-03-10 – Cabo Church, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Hola Shelley,

I'm sorry for the delay in responding but here are the pictures! Jill and Peter were great and the soccer uniforms and equipment are a real blessing--muchas gracias!! The kids are excited and I look forward to staying in touch--May God richly bless you and the other sponsors for their generosity to the underserved and disadvantaged of Los Cabos.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Michael

2014-06-13 - Zimbabwe, Africa

On behalf of Dzikwa Trust and Dzikwa Soccer Academy, I would like to express our appreciation for the donation of 12 soccer jerseys, 13 shorts, and 2 balls. The items are now being used by the Dzikwa Soccer Academy's Under 13 Team.

The items we received will go a long way in enhancing the Academy's efforts to develop the junior soccer players.

Yours faithfully,

Nyaradzai Matiza

Dzikwa Trust Soccer Academy Secretary/Team Manager

2014-06-20 - Zimbabwe

Greetings!

On behalf of Living Waters Theological Seminary, we acknowledge receipt of your donation of sports attire. We thank God

for the relationship and still expect to get more assistance from you towards various activities. We pray the our good Lord richly

bless you.

Yours faithfully,

Pastor I. Chatora

DEAN OF STUDENTS

2017-02-08 – Akumal School, Mexico

We visited a school today and they totally appreciated

the soccer gear from Canada. Thanks Shelley!

Leona & Frank Bird

2018-04-17 – Village of Carries, Haiti

Dear Shelley,

Just wanted to touch base with you after our trip to Haiti!

What a blessing all of the soccer stuff was to the village of Carries and the Haitian children!

I gave Claudey and John their clothing and they were so proud! I would see them during the week and they would be wearing their shorts or shirt! So fun!

Kim( Rick’s daughter in Haiti) also sent some pics of the kids doing a soccer camp. The week after we were there another team was putting on a soccer camp so it worked perfectly to have the kids wear the jerseys etc! Isn’t that just God’s timing!

I am so thankful for your ministry and the joy that it brings to children all over the world...and now Haiti too! Again thank you for your hard work and the time you took for us. We and the kids if Haiti so appreciate it!

Sincerely,

Lynn ODwyer

2019-03-19 – Primary Hermenda Galleana, Barra de Potosi, Mexico

Here are the new teams at Primary Hermenda Galleana in Barra de Potosi.

They are pretty excited to have soccer uniforms for the first time ever!

Carol Romain

Shelley,

We have returned from our trip to Namibia and had a wonderful time.

The visit to the school to see the children was a highlight. They were delighted

with the jerseys and balls - as you can see!

Thank you so much for helping to put smiles on their faces.

Amanda Watson

Thank you for your donation of the soccer balls and jerseys for Tanzania Africa. The school that we donated some of the soccer

balls to didn't have any toys or sports equipment. These children are mainly orphans and children of families that can't afford

to send their children to school. Your donation to their school is greatly appreciated and a wish fulfilled for the teachers.

The remainder of the balls and the two sets of jerseys are being delivered to the village of Majita. This is a village where the

children are still using a ball of twine and plastic bags. Thank you for your generous donation and open heart to the people

of Africa. May God richly bless you.

Paul Utimzeff

January, 2022

As pandemic-related travel restrictions eased, myself and my partner (Megan) began planning a trip to Playa Pesquero, Cuba. This was our first trip to the country, but we had a general awareness of economic challenges faced by this country (and Cuban people) as a result of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. So in advance of traveling, we researched what kinds of meaningful humanitarian supplies could we bring along with us. We scoured websites and forums for advice, and began packing bags with toothbrushes, toothpaste, cold/flu medications, among other things. In hindsight, when we asked locals what else we could have brought, we were always met with the same answer "anything, we need everything". I wanted to start with this perspective because we also packed a huge hockey bag full of Fresh is Best soccer jerseys, soccer balls, and pumps (thank you WestJet for not charging us excess baggage!) all donated by Shelley Zupp and The GOAL of Kindness - and we had no idea of the positive impact this equipment would have on some local children in a small village called Melilla. Initially, we were asked around if there were any local soccer teams that we could donate this equipment to (and we even met with one); however, it seemed the local teams had the support of government funding, so we opted to try to find another solution to make a more positive impact. One of the representatives at our hotel said many children play soccer together in his small community (Melilla) after school - so we asked if he could take us there one day. Upon arriving, we saw kids of all ages (ranging from about 8 to 16 years old) playing soccer on a cement pad, in bare feet, with a deflated miniature basketball (with a big hole in the side). We stepped out of our transportation and I rolled one of the donated balls onto the cement pad. Not understanding what was happening, one of the kids politely rolled it back to me and they continued on with their game. After some explaining (translated by our hotel contact into Spanish), we were surrounded by at least 30 children as we handed out jerseys. We gave the balls and pumps to a couple of the older kids we were told organize these community soccer games - I chuckled as one of them held up the nicest ball we had and sternly told all the other kids that this ball was never to be used on the concrete (grass only). And just like that, the game was on and for hours the street was filled with the sounds of kids laughing and playing. We took some time to sit and have coffee with a couple of the parents, who said these children will remember this for the rest of their lives. Thank you Shelley and The GOAL of Kindness, because your vision not only will these kids have lifelong memories - so will we. Keep spreading the love, we're cheering for you the whole way.

- Jeff Samuel & Megan Reeves