A soccer ball has a way of bringing people together.
This summer, 500 students in the Pasadena Educational Foundation’s Summer Enrichment Program at Madison Elementary and Sierra Madre Elementary headed home with sports kits designed to keep them active long after our program ends. Each kit included an inflated soccer ball, jump rope, drawstring backpack, healthy snack, and a few other fun items, giving students simple ways to stay moving, play with friends, and enjoy the rest of their summer.
The kits were assembled by volunteers during an L.A. Works Day of Service earlier this year and donated through the generosity of Angel City FC and other community partners. What began as a volunteer project became a memorable summer surprise for hundreds of Pasadena Unified students.
The timing was especially fitting. As the world watched the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfold, our students were receiving soccer balls of their own, ready for pickup games at the park, in the backyard, or on the playground. While the tournament has now come to a close, its spirit of teamwork, perseverance, and joy lives on in these simple moments of play.
PEF is grateful to L.A. Works, Angel City FC, and the volunteers who helped make these kits possible. Their support is helping ensure that students have opportunities to learn, grow, and stay active all summer long.
