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SWB Maryland in Action
I decided to join SWB, because SWB took me in as family. They accepted me as who I am and treated me as one of theirs. They help me with a lot, school wise, mental wise, physical wise, they help me in many ways. I can’t thank SWB enough, for real, they are family and I will forever take them as family because I know I can also come to them. Moral of the story, I belong here.
Annette, SWB Maryland Participant
About SWB Maryland
Based in Baltimore City, Soccer Without Borders Maryland directly serves newcomer refugee and immigrant youth in Baltimore City and County through out-of-school-time programs during the school year and summer. Participants include large numbers of Eritrean, Congolese, Syrian and Nepali youth, as well as Salvadoran, Ecuadorian and Guatemalan students. Nearly 40% of our participants identify as girls, nearly all playing an organized sport for the first time. Some students have been in the country for weeks, others for years, and together they make up a dynamic community of youth, each with their own unique story. With a focus on English language development on and off the field, SWB Maryland supports newcomer youth grades K-12 to build a sense of agency, belonging, and contribution.
Featured Initiatives
Video: Soccer Builds Bridges
Summer Enrichment
Mayor's Office Awards ARPA Funds
SWB Maryland By the Numbers
Most Recent Year
Overview
484
Registered TEAM Program Participants
99%
participant retention rate
46
participant countries of origin (and 27
languages spoken)
60
youth leadership positions
100%
high school graduation rate for regular participants
790
total activities
Spotlights
Spotlight: SWB Maryland Featured on ABC News
In the spring of 2023, SWB Maryland was featured on ABC's WMAR2 News in Baltimore. In the piece, Program Manager Kat Sipes along with participants Aya and Laila describe how soccer has the power to help newcomers embrace their differences and find belonging as part of a team.
"The program made me feel like I can still play soccer just like boys. I didn't know how to play soccer. I was not good. But the program made me feel like even girls can play soccer," Laila, SWB Maryland Particpant.
Spotlight: Kat Sipes,
Program Manager
SWB Baltimore Program Manager Kat Sipes started her relationship with Soccer Without Borders as a volunteer during her time as an undergraduate at Towson University, where she played Division I soccer. A Baltimore native and one of our longest-tenured team members, Kat joined SWB Maryland full-time in 2014 and has coached virtually every age group and gender at SWB.
SWB Maryland Partners
Building a more inclusive world requires a shared purpose and a collaborative approach. Our partners and supporters enable us to provide programming to youth free-of-cost, while also providing complementary services to youth and families when their needs fall outside of our scope.
Baltimore City Community College
Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle
BGE
Blaustein Foundation
Crane Foundation
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Family League of Baltimore City
France-Merrick Foundation
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
JMI Equity
Mario I & Henry J Knott Foundation Maryland Office for Refugees & Asylees
Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds
Schusterman Foundation
T. Rowe Price Foundation
Venable Foundation
Under Armour
SWB Maryland Latest News
