When I Was 18
You don't have to be a football fan to appreciate that the NFL is promoting a Bay Area organization's “When I Was 18″ campaign to raise awareness of the challenges faced by young people who age out of foster care.
Most adults never experienced foster care. But we can all remember being 18 or being on our own for the first time. It's a time of expectations and excitement and maybe a little trepidation. And if we felt that with parents nearby or on the other end of a phone call, we can also imagine what it would have been like without adult support.
The football tie in makes a lot of sense given the number of professional athletes who were in foster care as children.
Hopefully the Super Bowl connection will help raise awareness of the challenges faced by youth who age out of care all across this country (whether at 18 or 21) and encourage more adults to get involved.
There is a link to the "When I Was 18" video here.