Tony Sanneh and Galaxy Foundation Travels to Haiti to help Displaced Youth

Tony with camp kids from his trip to St. Croix

Minnesota’s Tony Sanneh recently told IMS that he has been extremely busy this winter organizing the Sanneh Foundation and expanding its outreach.  A trip after Christmas saw Sanneh gather some of  his soccer friends and travel to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands to work with disadvantaged youth.

Now Sanneh is off to Haiti to offer whatever help he can in the way of soccer and supplies. MLS.net reported on Monday that the Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation was traveling to Port-au-Prince to deliver soccer equipment and supplies to L’Athletique d’Haiti (Athletes of Haiti) sports program, which was started by Boby Duval in 1996 and gives children from some of the poorest neighborhoods an opportunity to get off the streets, play a sport and receive a daily meal.

The humanitarian effort is being coordinated by Gloria King, Director of Community Development and the Galaxy Foundation, and Janet Sevilla, Community Development Coordinator. King, along with former Galaxy defender Tony Sanneh, departed for Haiti on Tuesday, March 2 and return on Friday, March 5. In addition to the distribution, the Galaxy will meet and interact with local children on Wednesday, March 3, before conducting soccer clinics for the children of L’Athletique d’Haiti on Thursday, March 4.

Following January’s devastating earthquake, the children did not return to L’Athletique d’Haiti for almost ten days at which time 150 of the program’s participants showed up at the field with their families. Currently, L’Athletique d’Haiti has approximately 500 displaced families living on their two fields that are being provided food, water and tents by Duval and more than 700 children returning for the soccer program each day.

In addition to soccer equipment, the Galaxy Foundation is donating food, soap, coolers and other items that are needed throughout Haiti. Sanneh and The Sanneh Foundation’s contribution also includes soccer balls, t-shirts, shorts and cleats. Galaxy and MLS partners are teaming up to provide additional support for the visit with Adidas and Kwik Goal giving soccer bags, ball pumps and other items, MLS W.O.R.K.S., the league’s community outreach initiative, donating t-shirts and Degree Men, a Unilever brand, providing more than 3,000 deodorant sticks to L’Athletique d’Haiti.

“My heart goes out to the children of Haiti,” said Tony Sanneh, founder of The Sanneh Foundation. “As soon as I heard of the disaster, I knew I had to help. I am pleased the Galaxy and Galaxy Foundation invited me to be a part of their outreach efforts. My foundation and I strive to unify diverse communities through sport, and help all those in need. In Haiti, we will strive to do both.”

“I have no idea what to expect. My expertise is in soccer, so that’s what I’ll be focused on,” Sanneh told Star Tribune reporter Mike Rand before he left for the trip. “I could be scooping water out of a basement for half the day. I’ve never gone into a totally distressed area like this.”

“I’ve been working on a very small scale, doing a camp or clinic every year,” Sanneh said. “I’ve kept the foundation alive, but now is the first time when I think this is something I could do full-time and really grow it.”

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The Minnesota Kings NPSL team will be hosting a benefit for Haiti on May 23, 2010. The Kings will be playing the TwinStars and tickets are going for $1 when a non-perishable food item is given. All goods received will be flown to a Haiti relief fund. More information will be available in the near future.