Every week, a group of Washtenaw County residents and local homeless people gather at Wideworld Sports Center in Ann Arbor for a fun and friendly game of soccer.

The weekly games are part of a program founded by Washtenaw County residents Sara Silvennoinen, Linda Bacigalupi and Jim Bastian in 2007, called the Street Soccer Project Team. Better known as SSPORT, the team — comprised of residents of various cities in the county and some University students — aims to use soccer and community building to help the homeless participants change their life situations.

For Ann Arbor resident Silvennoinen, who has been playing soccer her entire life, the organization combines her two biggest passions: soccer and community outreach.

“Despite the struggles of working with people when they are probably in their worst situations, it is so rewarding to see where they were compared to where they are now and the progress that people can make in their daily lives,” Silvennoinen said.

SSPORT is a branch of the national organization Street Soccer USA, which organizes soccer teams for the homeless throughout the country.

Lawrence Cann, founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA, said he founded the organization after his experience working at a homeless shelter in New York following his graduation from college in 2002.

Cann said during his time at the shelter, he organized revitalization art projects with the individuals at the shelter and also put together soccer games.

After playing soccer with the homeless during his time at the shelter, Cann said he decided to form Street Soccer USA in 2005. He said the goal of the organization is to provide the homeless with a sense of community and reduce the stigma they often face about their living situation.

“These individuals are seen for what they are lacking,” Cann said. “We wanted to make their positive attributes visible.”

Street Soccer USA now has 16 teams throughout the nation. The organization competes against 54 teams in other countries during the Homeless World Cup held each year, according to Cann.

SSPORT practices throughout the year for the Street Soccer USA Cup held in Washington D.C. each summer. This year it hopes to compete in the Homeless World Cup in Brazil in September 2010.

Since Silvennoinen started the Washtenaw County team in 2007, she has coached the Street Soccer USA National team that competed for the Homeless World Cup in Australia. Last year, one of the SSPORT players qualified for the Homeless World Cup in Milan.

Silvennoinen said SSPORT is important because it helps inspire the homeless to turn their lives around. Many players have entered substance abuse recovery programs or returned to school as a result of their experience, Silvennoinen said.

She added that one homeless individual, who was a member of the team in the past, decided to go back to school and enrolled at the University.

Cann said the teams help participants to develop a “good work ethic” and other skills they can use to improve their lives.

“With the qualities that the teams build in individuals, there is really nothing that can keep someone from finding a home,” Cann said.

Silvennoinen said the team not only benefits the homeless but also county residents who get a chance to play soccer and make new friends.

“The team changes a lot of their lives, and they give a lot of support to each other,” Silvennoinen said.