Director’s Message, April 2026
Carolina Core FC honoring Holden before the Holden Trent Community Cup Game on March 28, 2026
By Founder Annie B. Carter
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about how meaningful change truly happens. I don’t believe it is through large, impersonal efforts, but through small, intentional moments. Conversations around a kitchen table. Stories shared at a party or event. It is the simple act of bringing people together with a sense of real purpose sharing thoughts and ideas.
That’s exactly how Goal 13 began, with my desire to create something meaningful out of profound loss. I wanted to create something in Holden’s memory that could positively impact the lives of young student-athletes.
As our mission continues to grow, so does our opportunity to reach more young student-athletes, and we cannot do that alone. So I’d like to personally invite you to be part of something new we are implementing: our Goal 13 Brand Ambassador Initiative.
This initiative is rooted in a very simple idea—gather people together, share our mission and talk about what matters. We are inviting the supporters and friends of Goal 13 across the country to host small, intentional gatherings in their homes or communities. It could be a morning coffee, a casual cocktail evening, or even something as fun as a mahjong night. There’s no formal structure required. All we are looking for is a willingness to open your home and invite a few people who may be interested in learning more about Goal 13.
Members of the Goal 13 team, including myself, will join you. We will share our story, the impact we are seeing, and the vision we have for the future. You don’t need to prepare anything beyond creating a welcoming space. Your role is simply to bring people together. What we have found is that these smaller, more personal settings allow for something deeper. They create a space for connection, for questions, and for reflection.
These gatherings will also gives us the opportunity to talk about something that is at the very core of Goal 13—character. Through Goal 13, we are working to instill important values like integrity, resilience, leadership, and accountability in the young men and women we serve. We want to help student-athletes grow not only as athletes or students but as human beings. When you host a gathering, you are helping us share that message and you are helping us build a larger community of people who believe in investing in the next generation. You are helping us expand our reach so that more young student-athletes have access to mentorship, guidance, and educational support.
If this speaks to you, I would love to connect and share more about how you can get involved. Simply send me an email at annieb@goal13foundation.org or give me a call at 336-317-6286. I would love to share how you can help us continue a mission that means so much to me and my family.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey with us—and for the many ways you continue to support Goal 13.