Right to Dream USA to celebrates Fifth Anniversary
New York, NY – Right to Dream is a non-profit school and soccer academy providing life-changing opportunities for both boys and girls in Ghana, is celebrating its fifth anniversary in the US with a Cocktail Party Benefit, the non-profit’s largest fundraiser of the year. The party will take place on June 6th at the General Motors Building in Midtown Manhattan, and will honor renowned commercial real estate broker, Tara Stacom of Cushman & Wakefield. The benefit will support the expansion of the program’s Girl’s School, which is funded entirely by Right to Dream USA.
Through its pioneering model, Right to Dream has changed the lives of over 300 boys and girls from all over West Africa. Located in Ghana, Right to Dream’s school and soccer academy provides full scholarships to live, train and study, giving children a pathway to international private schools, colleges, and universities, as well as professional soccer opportunities. In the U.S., Right to Dream has grown under the care of John Powers, Executive Vice President of Boston Properties’ New York Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Right to Dream USA, who has dedicated his energy to growing the organization’s financial and educational support as Right to Dream’s ambassador in New York and long-time board member.
“Colleagues in the real estate and larger business community in New York have helped more than double the size and reach of Right to Dream and empowered the organization to bring more great athletes and students to the U.S. for school and to great heights in their home country,” Mr. Powers said. “What better role model could these kids have than our honoree Tara Stacom, who raises the playing field for the professionals around her and creates new opportunities for her colleagues to excel.”
Right to Dream has helped provide opportunities to over 40 children in the U.S. with full high-school scholarships to the finest boarding institutions in the nation, providing a direct pathway to some of the top universities in the world. Right to Dream also has five graduates drafted by Major League Soccer in the U.S. with more to follow.
Among those children is Rashid Nuhu, who was 12 when he joined the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana. Rashid is now the goalkeeper for the Fordham Rams men’s soccer team in New York, leading them in 2017 to the deepest NCAA run by a Rams team in any sport.
Right to Dream USA is especially committed to young women; the non-profit started the Girls’ Program in 2013, challenging traditional gender roles and providing opportunities for talented girls. The program is currently directed towards offering opportunities solely in the U.S., as women do not currently have the same securities in a professional football pathway.
“This year’s Cocktail Party Benefit will highlight our Girls’ Program and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Tara Stacom, Executive Vice Chairman at Cushman & Wakefield and Right to Dream USA’s board member. “Prior fundraisers have greatly contributed with the initial money needed to create the girls’ program. As a direct result, we are now providing the only scholarship combining sports and education for girls in Africa. We are really proud of our girls’ accomplishments; many of them are breaking social norms, taking leading roles as young women within their communities and promoting gender equality. We look forward to the benefit, we are confident it will help continue pushing our mission forward.”
About Right to Dream
Located in Ghana, Africa, Right to Dream is a school and soccer academy offering boys and girls from backgrounds of extreme poverty the opportunity to reach their true potential through sport and education. Candidates are given full scholarships to live, train and study at the academy, and enrollment is now in excess of 100 students. Many graduates go on to win scholarships at leading international private schools, colleges, and universities, while others go on to pursue playing soccer professionally.
