My Cause, My Cleats 2025

Two men standing inside a modern office space, each holding a colorful sneaker, smiling at the camera.

Created by the NFL in 2016, My Cause My Cleats gives players a platform to showcase the causes they’re passionate about through custom-designed cleats worn during a designated game.

This year, Austin Hooper chose to elevate mental wellness for foster youth through a collaboration with Artem Vale. Together, with artwork created by Jamal and Adele from More Than Words, we turned the cleats into a powerful statement of resilience, advocacy, and hope.

Colorfully decorated athletic shoes with text and symbols promoting health, mentorship, and support, lying on grass.
Colorful soccer cleats decorated with various stickers, drawings, and messages, lying on green grass.


When Art Meets Advocacy: The Story Behind The Cleats

At More Than Words in Boston, two young adults, Jamal and Adele, have been rewriting their stories after growing up in foster care. While developing workforce skills, they also discovered a passion for art and creative expression.

This fall, they were selected to collaborate with renowned cleat artist Jonathan Hrusovsky to design custom cleats for NFL tight end Austin Hooper as part of the league’s My Cause My Cleats initiative.

Jamal and Adele incorporated the logos of Artem Vale, More Than Words, and the Austin Hooper Foundation, three organizations united in breaking cycles and providing mental-health tools to young adults transitioning into independence.

On December 1st, Jamal and Adele stood on the sidelines at Gillette Stadium, watching Austin take the field wearing the cleats they created by hand, a moment of pride, visibility, and hope.

These cleats symbolize more than art. They symbolize what becomes possible when youth are seen, supported, and surrounded by community.

Two people working on arts and crafts at a table covered with a red tablecloth, surrounded by art supplies, in a room with a brick wall and a window.
A woman is sitting at a table with crafting supplies, looking at a tablet displaying a New England Patriots logo. She is surrounded by tape, paper, and other crafting materials, in an indoor setting with several empty chairs and a red carpeted floor.
A football player in a red uniform with number 81, wearing a white helmet and colorful running shoes, standing on a football field during a game.
Press & Media
Logo for the Austin Hooper Foundation featuring a silhouette of a woman stretching above a red triangular shape with the foundation's name below.

We are proud to partner with the Austin Hooper Foundation, uniting our shared commitment to uplifting foster youth and supporting their mental wellness. Together, we’re creating meaningful opportunities, amplifying youth voices, and building programs that ensure every young adult aging out of care has the tools, community, and hope they deserve.

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