Chester-Upland Soccer for Success Holding Raffle to Raise Funds

Chester, Pa.—The Chester-Upland Soccer for Success program is holding a raffle for a chance to win 20 suite tickets to the Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls match on September 13. Raffle tickets are one for $25 or five for $100 and can be purchased at http://give.widener.edu/soccer with all proceeds going to the Soccer for Success program.

The deadline to purchase tickets is August 29, with the drawing scheduled for September 5. Runner-up prizes – five $200 gift cards to Angelo’s Soccer Corner – will also be awarded.

Widener University began the Chester-Upland Soccer for Success program in 2012 with a grant from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and has partnered with the Philadelphia Union, Crozer-Chester Medical Center and others to expand the reach of the program to more than 400 children at seven different sites in the Chester and Upland communities.

The after-school youth development program uses physical activity, nutrition, mentorship and family engagement to address children’s health issues. The program has shown very positive results, with 89 percent of participants categorized as overweight or obese at the beginning of the program improving or maintaining their body mass index, and 86 percent of participants improving or maintaining their aerobic capacity during the season.

According to Brent Jacquette, Widener men’s soccer coach and director of the Soccer for Success program, it costs about $200 to fund a child in the program for one season. The goal of the raffle is to raise $25,000 to help match a grant from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and to expand the program.

“The Soccer for Success program in making a difference in our community and we want to keep the momentum going,” said Jacquette. “This raffle will help us raise money to expand the program and help even more children in Chester to lead healthier lifestyles.”

For more information on the Soccer for Success program, visit http://chesteruplandsoccerforsuccess.org or contact Jacquette at 610-499-4542 or bjjacquette@widener.edu.