Youth Soccer Leaders Give Back with Thanksgiving Food Drive

The Elite Soccer Community Organization's (ESCO) Youth Leaders organized their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to support the Wheeling Township Food Pantry and received a record amount of food this year. With the help of friends, family, neighbors and teams across Elite Soccer, the Youth Leaders were able to collect 170 Thanksgiving baskets of food and close to $2,000 in grocery store gift cards, breaking their previous record of 127 baskets. The baskets are designed to include items to make a complete Thanksgiving Day meal for a family. Leaders organized all the baskets on November 15th at Salt Creek Sports Center, and a group of dedicated parent volunteers drove the items to the Food Pantry on November 16th.

"It really is inspiring how everyone comes together for this great cause year after year. Our Youth Leaders step it up every year, which, unfortunately is necessary to meet the need in our community for these Thanksgiving baskets. We're just grateful to be part of something that can make a family's Thanksgiving a little better," said Eric Love, ESCO's Youth Leadership Program Coordinator.

Formed in 2010 as the non-profit arm of Elite Soccer, ESCO's mission is to build 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.