When Patriots tight end Austin Hooper learned thousands of young people age out of foster care each year and are left to navigate adulthood with almost no support — a path that too often leads to homelessness or incarceration — he knew he had to step in.
That urgency drove him to start the Austin Hooper Foundation to help teens aging out of foster care build brighter futures. “When people think of the foster care system, they think about the newborns and the toddlers,” Hooper said. “They don’t think of the 17-year-old.”
Hooper is highlighting his foundation for the NFL’s annual My Cause My Cleats campaign, which allows players to shine the spotlight on mission-driven organizations and issues they are passionate about by wearing custom-designed cleats representing their chosen cause.
Stand With Austin Hooper
Join Austin Hooper by visiting his My Cause My Cleats page to directly support the Austin Hooper Foundation, bid on his custom cleats, or find another cause near you.
Hooper also partnered with the Artem Vale Foundation to support More Than Words, a social enterprise that gives foster youth a platform to express themselves and build healthy, purposeful lives. “Just like football, you can’t do it by yourself,” Hooper said.
It was there that Hooper met Jamal, a young man who used to describe himself as a “delinquent.” Through More Than Words, Jamal discovered his talent for design and gained the support he needed to develop it. He went on to design Hooper’s cleats — a craft he now sees as “beneficial not only to my life, but to the lives of others.”
When Hooper takes the field in Jamal’s cleats, he hopes young people watching will see themselves differently. “You’re more than a statistic — you’re an artist or a businessman,” he said. “You are whatever you want to be. Once the door cracks open, kick it wide.”
Fans can join Hooper by visiting his My Cause My Cleats page to directly support the Austin Hooper Foundation, bid on his custom cleats, or find another cause near you.
This story is part of a special partnership between the NFL and Stand Together, focused on amplifying and growing the impact of the philanthropic work of NFL players. Together, this collaboration shows real strength comes when we unlock the strength within communities and the critical role each of us can play in contributing to solving problems around us.
Learn more about Stand Together’s top issue areas and explore ways you can partner with us.
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