Soccer Youth Leaders Make Thanksgiving Brighter for Those in Need

The Elite Soccer Community Organization's (ESCO) Youth Leaders organized their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to support the Wheeling Township Food Pantry and yet again received overwhelming support. With the help of friends, family, neighbors and teams across Elite S.C., the Youth Leaders were able to collect 115 Thanksgiving baskets of food and close to $1,000 in grocery store gift cards. The baskets are designed to include items to make a complete Thanksgiving Day meal for a family. Leaders organized all the baskets on November 10th at Salt Creek Sports Center, and a group of dedicated parent volunteers drove the items to the Food Pantry on November 18th. ESCO is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to building community by developing youth through soccer. The Youth Leaders are part of ESCO's Youth Leadership Program and are provided with opportunities and experiences that foster leadership development, youth empowerment, and self-reflection. Aimed at promoting personal and social development, the program develops and enhances leadership skills and attitudes mostly through volunteer coaching experiences and service project participation. Fore more information about ESCO and its Youth Leadership Program, visit www.elitesoccercommunity.org.