**Making an impact:** Former Steelers safety Will Allen on Friday visited a few dozen students between the ages of 9 and 14 for an NFL Inspire Change event in conjunction with Futbol Mas France, a nonprofit organization that uses sports to promote social inclusion, build life skills and create positive opportunities for children and young people, particularly in underserved communities.
On behalf of the Steelers, Allen presented Futbol Mas with a $10,000 donation before the children got the chance to participate in a flag football drill. And Allen, who played six seasons for the Steelers, spoke to the kids to give them a little slice of Pittsburgh football on location in Paris. Not only did they learn about the Terrible Towel tradition, but Allen gave them a deeper meaning of what the organization stands for.
"Being a Steeler means working hard, never giving up and always being a good teammate," Allen told them through a French interpreter. "We believe that American football teaches us core values that help us both on and off the field, like teamwork, respect, confidence, and the ability to bounce back when things get rough. These are the values we share with the NFL and Futbol Mas."
Part of the international Futbol Mas network, Futbal Mas France uses sport and play to promote children's and young people's well-being, resilience and social cohesion. The organization has had a presence in France since 2017 and applies strengths-based socio-sport methodology centered around joy, respect, creativity, responsibility and teamwork.