About US
The Vision
Ball To All is a non-profit (501c3) organization founded with a simple premise: Give soccer balls to disadvantaged kids who can not afford one – it helps them grow healthier, happier and at the same time, keep them out of trouble.
The Mission
The mission is captured in our simple slogan: Every kid can have a ball.
The Problem
Imagine kids who have nothing, and nothing to do…
Is the risk of them getting into trouble greater?
Is the risk of them feeling that no one cares about them greater?
Is the risk of them being swayed by extremism greater?
We all want “World Peace”, yet many children around the world do not have the basic means to grow up happy and joyous…
It is a simple problem, with a simple solution.
The History
Saint Jerome, who lived until September 30, 420 AD wrote in Latin:
“Fac et aliquid operis, ut semper te diabolus inveniat occupatum”
Meaning: Do something, so that the devil may always find you busy.
Geoffrey Chaucer, who lived until October 25, 1400 wrote this in old English:
“Dooth somme goode dedes that the devel, which is oure enemy, ne fynde yow nat unocupied.”
In plain English, Idle hands are the devil’s tools.
What’s in a Name?
One day a thought came to my mind – the ancient word in Hebrew for balls is “Kadoorim.” In our day and age, the same word also means bullets. Round balls, used in muskets from centuries ago gave the word ball the same meaning as a bullet. Another term in Hebrew that contains a ball is “Kadoor HaAretz”, which means “Ball of the Land”, which is Earth. Instead of shooting bullets – we ought to be “shooting” soccer balls at each other.
How did Ball To All start?
One day in early 2013, I asked Nikolas Mangu-Thitu, a colleague who grew up in Kenya, what was the most fun thing he did as a a kid?
“Playing soccer, of course” he said. Soccer is the world’s most popular sport. Growing up with limited means in Kenya meant that kids had to improvise, and make soccer balls out of anything they could find.
In May 2013, Nikolas was heading home to Kenya for his annual vacation. I asked him if he would do me a favor, and deliver five soccer balls to the same school he went to when he was a kid. He obliged and so began what grew to become Ball To All.
I took my kids to a local store in Scottsdale, and we bought five soccer balls. My kids had fun deflating them, by sitting on them, before shipping. We also got a pump, so the soccer balls could be inflated once in Kenya.
The rest as they say, is history and is depicted on our website www.balltoall.org.
Nikolas and his parents delivered the soccer balls to the Kathese Primary School. It was a momentous occasion. All the kids got out of class into a general assembly to welcome their new soccer balls. Nikolas, Jenifer and Gideon Mangu became our first Ball To All Ambassadors in Kenya.
After posting the pictures on our young and budding website, support started pouring in. The idea resonated with many people who heard about this simple cause, solving a simple problem, with a simple solution.
Today we have made more than 4,000 deliveries, delivering over 50,000 soccer balls, through our network of Ball To All Ambassadors.
How can I support Ball To All?
Here is how you can support Ball To All:
Thank you for your interest in Ball To All, and I hope to see you among our followers, donors, supporters, ambassadors, partners, sponsors, and however you think you can help 😉
Ori Eisen, Founder
Ball To All
Contact Us
Ball To All is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
To contact us please email info@balltoall.org
