Joe Parker jumps out of the Ring

Team Parker, a social enterprise aimed at increasing access for youth in the Pacific Islands to sporting equipment is the initiative of former world champion boxer Joseph Parker.

The ‘buy one, donate one’ campaign sees every item of official Team Parker merchandise purchased resulting in Joseph donating a piece of sporting equipment to a school, club or community group in the Pacific Islands.

Team Parker’s first recipients were kids in Samoa, with plans to extend out to other Pacific nations this year.

Joseph, a Kiwi born Samoan says of the initiative “When I see Pacific kids, I think of what my parents did for me and about how little they had growing up in Samoa. I want all kids to have the opportunities that I had. As people of the Pacific, we have amazing talent and skills.

“I want to help make the benefits of sport more accessible and nurture the talent that our kids have, ” he said.

Joseph has asked business advisory firm PWC to verify the donations made every six months. He has also partnered with Rebel Sports and the Pass It Forward initiative to help bring their vision to life. Pass It Forward is a ‘buy one, donate one’ initiative that donates balls across NZ, historically and now through Team Parker to the Pacific Islands.

Pass It Forward has chosen Team Parker as their exclusive partner in the Pacific Islands and added to the donations with 1,000 rugby balls and netballs donated to Samoan schools already.

“Rebel Sport, in conjunction with Silver Fern, created the Pass It Forward initiative nearly two years ago. With the support of the New Zealand public, we are proud to have donated over $245,000 in sports balls during this time.

“We are very excited to partner with Joseph.”

Official Team Parker merchandise will be available for purchase online at www.TeamParker.org