My cause
My Cleats

Your Cause, Our Mission

At Spence-Chapin, we believe in the power of community to create lasting change, that all children deserve a loving family, and that we all have the ability to be champions. That is why we are so proud to be represented through the NFL My Cause My Cleats campaign, nominated by NFL Las Vegas Raiders Director of Team Growth & Development, Daryl Nelson. This December 16th, be sure to watch the Las Vegas Raiders play the Atlanta Falcons, and look for Daryl Nelson’s custom designed Game Day shoes, which were created from the heart and soul of what Spence-Chapin means for Daryl and his family. 

By supporting Spence-Chapin on Game Day, you can help more families know the joy of love and support.

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Your Cause, Our Mission

At Spence-Chapin, we believe in the power of community to create lasting change. By choosing us as the nonprofit you champion, you’ll help bring families together and support vulnerable children through adoption and family services. Whether you’re running a campaign, hosting an event, or seeking a meaningful cause to rally behind, we’ll collaborate with you every step of the way to ensure your efforts have the greatest impact.

Together, we can create brighter futures!

The Campaign

We’re thrilled to be part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, with Daryl Nelson proudly selecting Spence-Chapin as his cause.

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What is NFL My Cause My Cleats?

NFL players reveal their passions beyond the game and wear their hearts on their feet through My Cause My Cleats. Players and NFL staff have the opportunity to pick a cause that is important to them and represent their chosen organization on custom designed cleats and Game Day shoes.

Daryl Nelson Photo

Daryl Nelson is the Director of Team Growth and Development for the Las Vegas Raiders. Prior to joining the Raiders, Daryl was a part of the New England Patriots organization. In his tenure, he held the positions of Director of Organizational Development (2021-22), Associate Athletic Trainer (2020-21), and Assistant Athletic Trainer (2016-2020). Daryl also spent two seasons at the University of Louisville as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the football team. In his current role, Daryl oversees and supports the personal and professional development programming for players, coaches, and support staff.  These areas include staff development, spiritual wellness, player engagement, mental skills, and behavioral health. 

Daryl is also the nephew of Kevin Nelson, Spence-Chapin Board Member who, along with his husband Chris, adopted their two children, Daryl’s cousins, Adam and Cherie, through Spence-Chapin.

When contemplating about the right cause to support for this season’s My Cause My Cleats, Daryl had to think no further than his own family. His uncles, Kevin and Chris, and his cousins, Adam and Cherie, mean the world to Daryl, and he knew how important Spence-Chapin had been in their story and in helping to bring their family together. And the more Daryl learned about Spence-Chapin, the more inspired he was to support the organization. 

Daryl’s long career in athletic training and support has shown him the ways that the mental, spiritual, and physical all work together. In his current position, it is his role to foster that connection, to connect those dots, for the players and the support team. He recognized right away that Spence-Chapin was doing the same thing for the children, women, and families they serve. Throughout all of their services and program areas, there is holistic support, accompanied with dignity, respect, transparency, and care—all values that Daryl also holds dear. 

The partnership was natural, and Daryl and Spence-Chapin are delighted to be working together to raise awareness around the important work of connecting and supporting families through adoption, and advocating for vulnerable children around the world. 

  • Tune in on game day and catch the customized shoes in action!

  • Support Daryl’s Cause! 

  • Share screenshots and photos of the shoes appearing during the game and share them with the tag #MyCauseMyCleats to raise awareness around this special cause!

The Shoes

The exciting part of My Cause My Cleats is being able to design custom cleats and shoes that visually showcase the collaboration between the individual and the organization. In the case of NFL Raiders Director of Team Growth and Development Daryl Nelson and his chosen cause, Spence-Chapin, the concept for the design came naturally. Read on to learn more about the creative process!

Stay tuned for the Official Shoe Reveal on Monday!

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The Creative Process

What resonated with Daryl Nelson most about the work of Spence-Chapin was the holistic approach the organization takes to supporting children, women, and families—something that Daryl refers to as “connecting the dots.” Adoption is not a moment in time, but a lifelong journey, and Spence-Chapin offers support services for all of life’s stages, and for everyone in the adoption community and beyond, helping individuals and families “connect their dots” wherever they are at in their lives. And for Spence-Chapin, the adoption community extends well beyond just the adoptee, birth parents, and adoptive parents—it is an entire constellation of individuals that includes extended family, friends, adoption professionals, and more. Indeed, it is the adoption constellation. So, what better way to “connect the dots” than through a constellation of stars, aligning around this beautiful connection between Daryl, his family, and the work and community of Spence-Chapin.  

The CAuse

At Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children, a non-profit with over 115 years of dedication, we champion the welfare of children, support women and families, and offer unwavering guidance through all our adoption-related programs and beyond. We continually evolve to meet the needs of the adoption community and advocate for vulnerable children worldwide.

Learn more about our progams and services!

Share Your Cause

Join Darryl and countless others in making a difference for families and children worldwide.  
 
Make Spence-Chapin your cause and help transform lives through adoption and family support.
Together, we can build stronger families and brighter futures!
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