love.fútbol Celebrates Milestone of Impacting Over 100,000 Lives Through Safe Play Spaces
Washington, D.C., October 20th 2023 — love.fútbol, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe and accessible play spaces for children in communities worldwide, is thrilled to announce a major milestone—reaching over 100,000 people impacted through their transformative projects.
From One to 100,000
love.fútbol’s journey started in 2006 with a single project in Villa Nueva, Guatemala, after co-founder and CEO Drew Chafetz took a trip to Morocco and witnessed children playing soccer in unsafe conditions. Galvanized by the experience, he decided it was time to change that narrative and do something to create safe play opportunities for kids across the globe.
Little by little, year after year, love.fútbol has grown and expanded into an international organization impacting communities across 15 countries on 5 continents. Over 17 years of activity, they have engaged and partnered with 69 communities and counting, steadily creating opportunities for growth and social improvement through the development of accessible sports spaces.
love.fútbol acknowledges that these achievements would not be possible without the passion of its partner communities who are at the root of its mission. Through the organization's community-centered methodology, local residents are engaged to drive every step of a sports space project, therefore taking ownership and ensuring long-term use of the site. Their commitment, drive, and knowledge of the local areas are the backbones of love.fútbol's work, and is what has enabled the organization to globally impact 100,000 people, and counting.
A lot has changed since that first pitch in Guatemala, but love.fútbol’s mission remains the same: to bring safe play spaces to children worldwide
An Explosive Summer
Summer 2023 was particularly momentous for the organization with five new space openings—two in Philadelphia, two in the greater Miami area, and one in Mexico—that have led to crossing the 100,000 people impacted mark. But the effort does not stop there; the love.fútbol team has set ambitious goals for the remaining months of the year with plans to open two more spaces in the US, two more in Mexico, and one in Brazil, and setting the foundation for many more openings in 2024 to reach even more kids.
About love.fútbol
love.fútbol mobilizes communities to create low-cost, high-impact, and sustainable sport spaces where children can not just play but also grow and learn. By providing opportunities for safe play, love.fútbol contributes to the physical and mental well-being of children worldwide.