For Western Carolina men's basketball head coach
Tim Craft and his wife, Jess, foster care is deeply personal.
As adoptive parents, the Crafts understand both the hope and the hardship that exist within the foster care system. That perspective has shaped a strong commitment to using their visibility and voice to encourage greater awareness and understanding of the needs facing foster children and families across Western North Carolina.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, the Catamounts will partner with the One More One Less Project to host a foster care awareness game when they face Furman at 5:30 p.m. in the backend of a Catamount hoops doubleheader with the women's team hosting UNCG at 3 p.m. The game will welcome foster, adoptive, and kinship placement families with free admission and recognition. The game is presented by
Conley Rogers Real Estate Group, strong supporters of the Craft family and efforts to raise awareness around foster care needs in the community.
The reality is sobering. Across the region, more children continue to enter foster care than there are available foster homes. Many are placed outside their home counties due to capacity shortages, disrupting school continuity, access to care, and family connections. In rural and mountain communities, advocates consistently cite limited awareness and understanding as significant barriers to recruiting and sustaining foster and kinship families.
The Crafts see this partnership as one way to use the reach of college athletics to bring attention to children and families who are often unseen, and to encourage broader community engagement.
Craft is available to speak about how parenthood has influenced his leadership, why foster care awareness matters in this region, and how this game reflects a larger commitment to supporting children and families beyond the court.
For more information on the
One More One Less Project, visit
www.onemoreonelessproject.com.
Tickets for Saturday's Catamount hoops doubleheader – the regular-season finales for both teams – are onsale through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or online anytime at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
Also on Saturday, Catamount basketball legend Dr. Ronnie Carr, who hit the first-ever 3-pointer in NCAA Basketball history, will be on hand for a special meet-and-greet. A limited supply of special commemorative "First Three" T-shirts will be on sale at the game.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's basketball and WCU Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@catamountmbb @wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@CatamountMBB @catamounts).
