Through a grant of over $26,000, the program has expanded structured soccer programming for more than 80 children per season, ages 9 to 14. Since September 2025, the initiative has strengthened access to organized leagues and seasonal play, offering many participants their first experience of belonging to a structured team. Beyond competition, the program fosters discipline, teamwork and healthy personal development, reflecting the preventive and educational spirit of Don Bosco.
At the heart of the partnership is a shared vision: ensuring that children from underserved neighborhoods not only play the game they love but also witness it at the highest level. Thanks to LASEC, under the leadership of Kathryn Schloessman, 20 young participants from the Salesian Family Youth Center will attend a FIFA World Cup 2026 match in Los Angeles.
For these young people, the experience represents far more than attendance at a global sporting event. It is a moment of inspiration and possibility — an opportunity to see firsthand what dedication, teamwork and perseverance can achieve on the world stage.
Founded in 1966, the Salesian Family Youth Center serves more than 2,000 children and youth annually through educational, recreational and faith-based programs. Guided by its mission to form young people as productive, responsible and caring citizens, the Center accompanies families and offers safe, nurturing spaces where children can grow in confidence and hope.
In neighborhoods where many families cannot afford participation in organized sports, soccer has become a powerful tool for inclusion and prevention. It keeps young people active and engaged, builds community and fosters values that extend beyond the field.
Transportation for the World Cup experience will be provided by the Salesian Family Youth Center, ensuring full accessibility for the selected youth, while LASEC will provide match tickets. The collaboration reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that the global impact of the FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches communities that are often overlooked.
As Los Angeles prepares to host the world, this initiative highlights a deeper legacy: not only the celebration of sport, but the transformation of young lives. For the children of Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles, the journey to the stadium will symbolize something greater — the opening of doors, the strengthening of dreams, and the conviction that their future, too, can be shaped by opportunity and hope.
