Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White may be from Louisiana, but he's taken to a cause right here in Tampa that he will display on his cleats this year for the NFL's My Cause, My Cleats campaign.
The initiative continues in 2021 with players across the league wearing custom cleats to raise awareness for the charitable causes closest to them. The Bucs will have theirs on display this weekend in Atlanta as they take on the division-rival Falcons.
White partnered with A Door of Hope, a faith-based organization whose vision is to exemplify God's love for foster children and families by providing a Christian home for every foster child and biblical counsel and supportive services through our partnership with the Christian community.
"It's a great organization that helps a lot of great kids," said White, who initially got involved with the organization last year. "I helped them around Christmastime because I just felt like that's a group of kids that needs some extra love, so I just want to pay tribute to them on my cleats to bring more awareness."
White had a lot to do with the design of his cleats, picking out the colors and what specifically he wanted on them. The players unboxed their cleats on Wednesday and the unveiling was a special moment for White.
A Door of Hope serves six counties in Florida, including Hillsborough County. According to the website, nine children are removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment every day in those counties and the organization moves aid their transition into the foster care system.
White got involved virtually with A Door of Hope last Christmas and he's been involved with the agency ever since. He plans on his Christmas event with the organization being an ongoing thing that hopefully gets bigger and bigger as the years go on. "It's more than just giving, you know? It's about helping them smile and just doing more than what I'm doing," he said.
He intends to spend time with the children who the organization aids as soon as COVID-19 protocols allow so he can put a live face to the names of the children he's met on a computer screen.
"When COVID allows it, then I'm gonna be there for them."
Buccaneers players are representing more than 50 causes this year. It's the league's sixth consecutive season raising awareness for player-chosen non-profit organizations through My Cause, My Cleats and all teams will be participating in Week 13. Players will then have the choice to auction their cleats off in a fundraising effort for their individual causes. Fans can bid on their favorite participating player's cleats here once the auction is live.
