We support people when they try and make a difference to the sport we love. The dudes over at Concrete 2 Green are doing just that. According to their own site, Concrete 2 Green is “a socially conscious marketing firm that uses innovative and eco friendly strategies to grow the sport of soccer in US inner cities and urban communities.” Dig that. Building the sport of soccer in communities that have trypically been overlooked by the soccer establishment, and turning drab concrete into a soccer lovers oasis sounds good to me. Read more about them after the jump.

More from their site…

“Concrete2Green, LLC (C2G), a grassroots organization founded in Harlem, New York and headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is the Corporate Envoy of ground level social work for the excessively paved 21st century city . A maverick in community building, C2G utilizes futsal, the international moniker for freestyle street soccer, as their vehicle for social change. The company enters once abandoned fields of recreation in urban areas and revitalizes them, giving cities safe, pristine Edens for play. C2G support’s “green” initiatives in the inner city, promoting healthier living while addressing environmental concerns. The fresh locales serve as a central hub for community, culture and creativity, returning a sense of kinship and pride back to the inner city.

C2G’s co-founders, Akbar Majeed and Irvine Smalls, Jr., are revolutionizing not only how soccer is perceived, but how it is played. The company’s deeply held conviction is that soccer is not just a sport; it is an approach to metropolitan altruism. Futsal is a new concept to the American soccer enthusiast, and C2G assumes the mantle of Ambassador, popularizing the international soccer phenomenon in the U.S.

“Outside of the obvious reasons why sports are good for youth, particularly inner city youth (keeps them focus, provide structure, helps fight obesity and the list goes on) our organization allows us to expose and attach them to the global community,” Smalls explains. “This will broaden their experiences, and let them see that there are opportunities beyond their neighborhoods and the borders of the U.S.”

C2G is about accessibility, stimulating a climate of inclusion where youth (particularly those of African, African American and Latino descent) from traditionally neglected communities are given the same opportunities as their suburban counterparts. C2G will orchestrate the rebirth of soccer in order to level the playing field in myriad ways. Via C2G’s “GreenTop Initiative,” the company provides more than the opportunity to learn about the game of soccer, it will ensure positive community involvement, encourage athletic activity and give children an opportunity to learn about different cultures, opening a new world that extends past their city block.”