Number 92
Image source: Nate Sparks/Tennessee Titans
Four TN Pro Sports Teams Unite for Foster Care
Featured Focus:
Partnerships for Good, Community Programs,
Athlete-Driven Impact
Scope of Impact:
Statewide
Four Tennessee professional sports franchises are orchestrating a powerful partnership to transform foster care across the state. Here’s the breakdown:
A Unified Front for Vulnerable Youth: The Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville SC, and Memphis Grizzlies have forged a potent alliance with Tennessee Kids Belong and the statewide Every Child TN initiative.
Strategic Storytelling Drives Connection: Through innovative programs like the "I Belong Project," these teams are not just raising awareness; they are actively facilitating connections. Players and staff engage directly with children in foster care, creating compelling video and photo narratives designed to showcase each child's unique spirit and accelerate their path to a permanent, loving home.
Building a Resilient Support Ecosystem: Beyond initial family recruitment, the initiative focuses on strengthening the entire foster care ecosystem. By promoting "Foster Friendly" communities and supporting existing foster, kinship, and adoptive families, the collaboration hopes to build long-term stability and holistic well-being for local children.
This mega-collaboration is unlike anything we’ve seen recently, especially considering that all four teams are owned by different stakeholders. We love how they’re all working together for the greater good of the city, leveraging their visibility and influence to amplify the critical need for foster and adoptive families through a singular, impactful initiative.
The organizational infrastructure that’s needed to pull-off a partnership like this can’t be underestimated. Each team is using their game-day visibility, business operations, and extensive social media presence to destigmatize foster care. The players’ engagement with the "I Belong” project allows for incredible storytelling, and brings out the humanity of both the players themselves, and the foster kids needing a home.
Beyond the massive awareness that the Tennessee sports teams bring to the table, the focused cultivation of a holistic and statewide "Foster Friendly" culture makes this initiative incredibly powerful. It extends beyond simply finding homes; it builds an environment where foster families feel supported and integrated into the community through discounts and resources from local businesses and faith groups.
YOUR NEXT PLAY:
It’s not easy to bring multiple teams together. But when it’s done well, the impact can be exponential — and create a WIN | WIN for all stakeholders involved. What ideas or strategies can you take from this initiative and apply to your own future endeavors?
The local chapter of the nationwide non-profit aims to improves foster care for kids throughout Tennessee.
Official state-led resources for families interested in becoming foster parents, including requirements and FAQs.
This statewide initiative, which mobilizes support for foster care, is one of the two main partners for the TN teams’ efforts.
A TN nonprofit program that helps youth aging out of foster care find support, and success, as thriving young adults.
An in-depth analysis of the impact that Nashville’s pro sports teams have on the city’s residents and economy.
Anderson County hosts a foster care learning event and public info session for anyone interested in getting involved.
