While most students box up old soccer gear and forget about it, Sydney and Ashley Mednik saw a chance to do something bigger. What started with a pile of unused uniforms in their garage has transformed into Pass with Purpose, a fast-growing nonprofit that delivers donated soccer kits to children across the globe. Founded by Sydney, a WCHS sophomore, and her younger sister Ashley, a future WCHS student, the initiative is helping kids who are less fortunate to play the sport they love with proper gear and uniforms.
“We have played club soccer since we were little and have always received new club team uniforms every two years,” Sydney Mednik said. “We started Pass with Purpose when it occurred to us that our old uniforms could be repurposed for others who need them.”
Pass with Purpose organizes collection drives with youth soccer clubs across the United States, gathering donations of team jerseys, shorts and socks. After each drive, volunteers sort the items by type, size and color to create complete uniform kits. These kits are then shipped to children living in underserved communities around the world, helping them access proper sportswear and feel like part of a team.
“We have received tons of pictures of the kids wearing the uniforms with huge smiles on their faces,” Ashley Mednik said. “They are so grateful to have uniforms of their own and matching uniforms with their teammates. The kids like the soccer uniforms so much that they wear them as their normal clothing too.”
The sisters handle every part of the nonprofit together, from planning and promoting collection drives to sorting and packing the donations. Their teamwork makes the work easier and helps them have a bigger impact. By working together, they are able to reach more kids in need and make each drive a success, making their mission even more important. This shared effort has made their cause even more meaningful, as they continue to make a difference in the lives of children around the world.
“There are so many kids around the world who love soccer but cannot afford uniforms. Providing these kids with uniforms and matching ones with their teammates gives them a sense of unity and pride,” Ashley Mednik said. “Also, in many countries, soccer is still a male-dominated sport so providing uniforms to girls allows them to feel more empowered.”
Recently, Pass with Purpose donated soccer uniforms to kids in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. The organization chooses countries based on connections and partnerships. Their latest drives included collaboration with Bethesda Soccer Club, McLean Youth Soccer, Fairfax Virginia Union and Vienna Youth Soccer. The uniforms collected from these drives have mostly gone to children in Zambia and Costa Rica.
“I visited South Africa last spring and saw firsthand how many kids play soccer without proper gear or even shoes,” WCHS freshman Dia Gill said. “What Sydney and Ashley are doing through Pass with Purpose is incredibly impactful towards these less fortunate kids in Africa.”
WCHS students can support Pass with Purpose by donating any soccer gear they no longer need, like jerseys, shorts and socks. If they play for a club soccer team, they can also help by joining in on the collection drives that are set up through their teams. By giving what they can, students play an important role in getting uniforms to kids who need them in different parts of the world.
“In February of last year, Ashley and I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, to donate soccer uniforms to kids in Pavas,” Sydney Mednik said. “It was amazing to see how something as simple as a uniform could bring so much joy and hope to these children.”
Pass with Purpose plans to continue holding collection drives with soccer clubs locally and expand to other areas across the country. The organization’s goal is to reach as many communities around the world as possible, providing soccer uniforms to children in need. One of their upcoming drives, which is set for the fall, will be in partnership with Vienna Youth Soccer.
“It is really cool to see students our age creating change on a global level,” Gill said. “Pass with Purpose is a very good example showing that you do not have to wait until you are an adult to make a difference.”
