Can rugby make lives better? Jim Carlberg believes so. The man behind Liquid Rugby and the lawsuit with Polo Ralph Lauren that ensured PRL couldn't own the term "Rugby" spent years of his life fighting a merchandising behemoth, and winning. Now he's taking on a new challenge.

Of the past five years or so, Carlberg has worked with a at-risk ids in after-school programs, rugby camps, the YMCA, and with foster kid groups, teaching rugby. Many have gone on to play at high school and club levels.

"I see the hardships and battles these kids face daily," said Carlberg. "Hunger, no parents, no money, no one helping them get through school; unbelievable athletes that will never get seen. It's horrible to see what these kids have to endure every minute of every day. It is true survival that a lot of them go through and it is not fair. I want to do something about it."

So Carlberg is launching a crowdfunding campaign to start a new business that will help these kids using rugby, and some other mentoring tools. The business reclaims building materials from old barns and turns them into new materials for furniture and flooring. Called Reclaim for Youth, the idea is to use the company to fund programs to help the young people he has been working with for years.

The program will funnel 25% of all proceeds to at-risk youth programs. The first organization to benefit will be the Boys & Girls Club of Illinois, and Carlberg said he will target more specific programs as the business grows.

"It's not 100% rugby-oriented, but it is close," said Carlberg. "If it were not for me teaching rugby to these kids and having them on my rugby team, I might never have known what they go through daily. This will keep me in touch with them, help continue teaching rugby to them and hopefully get some good players who will go on to bigger and better things through rugby or at least since we gave them a chance."

http://www.gofundme.com/ho73mo