New England NFL & MLS Teams Invest $1M in Foster Care Initiative
June 2, 2023
At the end of 2021, there were nearly 400,000 children and youth in the US foster care system, a temporary service provided by States for children who cannot live with their families. It can also refer to placement in settings such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters and supervised independent living. For many significant reasons, it is a system considered to be failing.
To highlight foster care as a societal issue and to help support its highly marginalized and vulnerable population, the New England Patriots Foundation (NFL), the New England Revolution Foundation (MLS) and the Kraft family recently announced a commitment of $1 million in grants to six foster care organizations across New England -- a region encompassing Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- at event celebrating frontline staff, foster parents and young adults who have experienced foster care. The grants will strengthen and expand foster care services, innovate systematic solutions, assist in foster parent recruitment and raise awareness.
According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, because of the complex traumas faced by children and youth in foster care, foster care alumni experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a rate nearly five times higher than the general adult population. 80% of them have significant mental health issues as compared to approximately 18 to 22 percent of the general population. Contributing factors include a history of complex trauma, frequently changing situations and transitions, broken family relationships, inconsistent and inadequate access to mental health services and the over-prescription of psychotropic medications.
New England Patriots receiver Ty Montgomery, whose family fostered 17 children when he was growing up, spoke at the announcement event. "I've seen and heard the horror stories,” he said. Some of my brothers' previous (foster) situations – they weren't allowed in the kitchen, there were locks on the pantry, they were only allowed to use a certain amount of tissue squares if they needed to use the bathroom. Foster kids, they just want a family. They just want to feel loved regardless of their situation.”
The initial non-profit grantees include HopeWell, Bridges Homeward, LUK, Inc., Plummer Youth Promise, Rise Above and Foster Forward. Each began receiving funding last autumn for various needs including staffing, space upgrades, activity support, training and foster parent recruitment efforts. In addition, the Foundations will leverage the Patriots and Revolution communications platforms to raise awareness on the issues foster care organizations are facing in New England and to support foster parent recruitment efforts.
“Since the start of COVID, we’ve seen a dramatic drop in the number of licensed foster homes in Massachusetts,” said Shaheer Mustafa, President and CEO of HopeWell, the largest nonprofit provider of foster care in the state. “We are so grateful to the Kraft family and the Foundations for shining a spotlight on this problem and for celebrating the foster parents and staff who work so hard to ensure every child who needs a safe, loving place to stay has one.”
The New England Patriots Foundation aids individuals and families that are often marginalized in today’s society through year-round programming and support of philanthropic agencies. The New England Revolution Foundation supports local partners and philanthropic initiatives focused on social justice and equity, childhood cancer awareness, concussion awareness, military and first responders and inclusion in sports.
The NFL and MLS are Beyond Sport Founding Supporters.