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Do you know a child or youth in foster care who loves baseball? The Washington State Department, of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is now accepting nominations for one special child or youth in foster care to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Mariners game.
Every year, DCYF partners with the Seattle Mariners to celebrate kinship, foster, and adoptive families during their annual event, We Are Family Day, held at T-Mobile Park.
To be eligible, the child or youth must:
- Have experienced foster care during the past 12 months in Washington state.
- Be at least 10 years old.
- Be prepared and comfortable standing in front of a large crowd of people and throwing a baseball to home plate.
Nominations must include:
- The young person’s first name and age.
- Information about why you think they and their caregiver are good candidates for this opportunity.
- Caregiver name(s) and contact information.
This year, in an effort to highlight the critical and supportive relationships between young people in care and their caregivers, one of the caregivers of the selected child or youth will serve as catcher.
To nominate a youth and their caregiver, email holly.luna@dcyf.wa.gov with the required information by Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. The selected nominee and their caregiver will be asked to complete a photo release with appropriate signatures.
We Are Family Day is a chance to watch a Seattle Mariners baseball game while supporting and celebrating the foster, kinship, and adoptive families in our communities. If you'd like to attend, get your tickets at https://www.mlb.com/mariners/tickets/specials/we-are-family.