BUFFALO, N.Y. — A new Buffalo Bills running back is continuing his goal of giving back before he even hits the field for the first time.
Fourth-round pick Ray Davis is helping kids in the foster system.
We've told you before how the San Francisco native spent eight years in foster care.
From foster child to fostering change; Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis is already making an impact
Luggage to most people is a simple bag or two you take on vacation or a work trip. But for those who were brought up in the foster care system like Ray Davis, it means so much more.
“Having a suitcase or luggage is very important because that’s a sense of being at home," Davis told reporters at Thursday's Fostering Greatness Luggage Drive. "It’s a sense of knowing where you’re going, you’re going to be there for a long time."
Dr. Leah Angel Daniel, founder of Fostering Greatness says a simple piece of luggage and some belongings to call their own goes a long way for those overcoming the adversity of the foster care system.
“A lot of times they have plastic garbage bags. So when I had a couple of listening sessions with some young people who had been in foster care they say Mrs. Leah I feel disposable because everything that I have is in this garbage bag," Dr. Angel Daniel told 7 Sports. "And garbage bags don’t last.”
The first step in changing that narrative is finding someone like Ray to show young people who grew up in similar situations that you have worth. And your life is not defined by the labels people put on you.
“Being a foster care alumni and going through the things that I went through, knowing the voice I have," Davis adds. "I want to go out there and be an advocate for the kids who don’t have voices. To be able to be an inspiration and let them know that this is a reality, that you can make it.”
Ray, Dr. Angel Daniel, and Fostering Greatness, now have the platform and the voice to spread their message far beyond Western New York.
"A lot of times people who have gone through the foster care system they’re 'shame associated' with it so they don’t share their story," says Dr. Angel Daniel. "Especially those who are successful. But to now have that. It’s going to change the trajectory of foster care in general.”
The true definition of Fostering Greatness
Fostering Greatness says it's looking for volunteers to help serve the community. You can learn more here.
