Who We Are
Street Child United is a community whose mission is to harness soccer to protect, respect and support homeless and street-connected children. We deliver the Street Child World Cup which takes place ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Teams participating are selected from our partner organizations, serving homeless and street-connected children. Our vision is a World where all children are protected, respected and supported to reach their full potential.
I Am Somebody
In order to confidently say “I am Somebody” street children have told us that they need to feel protected, respected and supported. Their advice has become our vision as we work to empower children to say: I am Somebody.
Act locally. Affect globally.
In the USA our supporters are acting locally and affecting globally whether it be as individuals, soccer or sports clubs, faith groups, corporate partners, colleges or high schools. There are numerous ways to get involved through regular giving, hosting an event, taking on a challenge, volunteering, offering pro-bono expertise or building a partnership with your place of education or work.
Meet The U.S. Team
A passion for football and global change!
Joe Hewitt
Head of Americas
Joe joined SCU at the inaugural Street Child World Cup in 2010 and having had a long commitment to the empowerment of street children was deeply moved by the impact of sport on their rights. Joe has played soccer throughout his life and as Head of the Street Child United Brazil founded the Safe Space soccer field for children at risk of the streets in one of Rio’s most violent favelas. Before SCU, Joe worked in Communications in London, England. Joe supports Tottenham and England and Flamengo. read biography
Molly King
Head of Marketing
During the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Molly watched a feature on national TV about the important work Street Child United was doing in Brazil. Continually moved by the power of sport to inspire change, Molly signed up to be a volunteer for the first annual Street Child Games that very same day and served as a member of the communications team in Rio for the event in March 2016. A soccer player since birth and a fan for life, Molly lives in soccer city U.S.A. (Portland, Oregon) where she spends her professional life as a marketer and her personal life as a huge supporter of the Portland Thorns and the Portland Timbers. read biography
Kerry Prazak
Board Member
Kerry lives in Keller, TX with his wife, Kim, and three kids, Jackson, Brady, and Caleb. They all love playing sports and especially soccer! Kerry is an owner of Soccer Post Keller, a premier soccer specialty store that serves the local soccer community. In addition, he enjoys working in investment management for a large national firm. Prior to all of this, he was a nuclear reactor operator and proudly served on U.S. Navy submarines. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and traveling to his kids various sporting events. Kerry has seen over and over again the positive impact sports can have on the lives of children and is excited to share the story and mission of Street Child United. Kerry is a fan of FC Dallas, U.S. National teams, Tottenham, and Bayern.read biography
Tim Wayman
Head of Finance
When Tim first learned about Street Child United and the events that brought about the first Street Child World Cup, he was captivated by the beauty of using the language of soccer to give homeless and street-connected children a new voice. Tim began playing "soccer" in California, after he first learned to walk, and continued to play through the collegiate level. He holds a master’s degree in finance and is a director and 10-year veteran at Fidelity Investments. Tim (along with his two daughters) supports Chelsea and the US National Teams.read biography
Deb Kemp
Board Member
Portland based but New Zealand born, Deb first learned of Street Child United when a pal suggested volunteering in Brazil for the first annual Street Child Games. Moved by the important work Street Child was doing for the rights of young people, Deb joined the team as a key volunteer in Rio in March 2016. Deb’s career has been focused on sales and marketing, project and team management. Though not a soccer player, she has always been an active sports fan and participant in running and sailing. "Go Thorns, Go All Blacks, Go Team New Zealand!"read biography
Micha Jakob
Board Member
Micha is a truly passionate about soccer and has been playing most of his life. When he learned more about SCU, he was inspired by their work with children and how soccer as a universal sport and language can help create awareness for children in need. He hold‘s a Master’s degree in International Management and has been employed by Google for over +10 years, currently based as a Sales Manager at their Google NY office. Micha supports the Swiss National Team, FC Zurich and Hertha Berlin. read biography
Ryan Young
Creative Director
Jered Schneider is the owner and founder of Pounds Media, a video production company based in St. Louis, Missouri that is focused on telling brand stories. Jered serves as the director and creative lead, managing a diverse array of clients, including several Fortune 500 clients, such as GE, Emerson, Northrop Grumman, Cigna, Graybar, and Caterpillar. Jered is a native of Centralia, IL, and a graduate of Greenville College, where he played American football as an offensive lineman. Jered is a fan of all types of sports, but his true love is soccer. He is a passionate supporter of Everton Football Club, Borussia Dortmund, and the US National teams. He lives in St. Louis with his wife Jordan, and their dog Ruthie.
Jered Schneider
Board Member
Jered Schneider is the owner and founder of Pounds Media, a video production company based in St. Louis, Missouri that is focused on telling brand stories. Jered serves as the director and creative lead, managing a diverse array of clients, including several Fortune 500 clients, such as GE, Emerson, Northrop Grumman, Cigna, Graybar, and Caterpillar. Jered is a native of Centralia, IL, and a graduate of Greenville College, where he played American football as an offensive lineman. Jered is a fan of all types of sports, but his true love is soccer. He is a passionate supporter of Everton Football Club, Borussia Dortmund, and the US National teams. He lives in St. Louis with his wife Jordan, and their dog Ruthie. read biography
Paul Fontanelli
Board Member
Paul lives in Haslet, TX with his wife, Jessie, and three kids, Ethan, Hailey, and ShayLynn. All three children are active and enjoy playing outside as much as possible. Paul works full time at a major financial firm in which he works closely with a team of professionals that support the financial planning and guidance interactions with our clients. Outside of work, Paul is a photography enthusiast and has recently created a website (www.photographytv.com) designed to help inspire, educate, and entertain anyone interested in capturing the images of life through photography. He is excited to be a part of Street Child United as he knows the great impact that sports can have on a child’s life.read biography
Tarek Pertew
Board Member
Tarek resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife, Thais & daughter, Calila. Like many American kids, Tarek played soccer as a child but left the sport to pursue other sports. After attending The University of Virginia, Tarek reconnected with soccer, playing in adult, co-ed leagues throughout NYC. The experience inspired his role as co-founder of NYC Footy, an adult soccer league, registering over 4,000 players. In addition to his role with SCU, Tarek serves as a technology advisor for the United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI) and for his alma mater, The University of Virginia. read biography
Donald Wine II
Board Member
Donald has dedicated his life to inspiring change through the game of soccer. He serves on the national board of the American Outlaws and is a co-founder and former president of AO’s DC chapter, the largest in the organization. He also is a co-manager of Stars & Stripes FC, an SB Nation blog, and contributes to Black & Red United. An attorney by trade, Donald holds degrees from Duke University and the University of Miami School of Law. He is a diehard supporter of the United States National Teams, D.C. United and Real Madrid.read biography
Not from the U.S? Check out our UK site.