Raiders' First & Goal program brings local students to home games

Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Oct. 24, 2013

The Oakland Raiders have began another program benefiting the local community, this one being tabbed the First & Goal Program.

Cytosport, Bibby’s Chocolates, New Era and THE GLAD Products Company have all partnered with the Raiders to make it possible to bring local community students, and their chaperones to Raiders home games at no cost.

For the game this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and for every home game following, the organization is providing Oakland Unified School District and its students 800 game tickets, as well as transportation and meals.

These 800 young fans will get off of a bus ride to O.Co Coliseum and hear a "chalk talk" from a different Raiders legend each week before heading into the stadium to watch the game at no cost. This Sunday's speaker will be Lincoln Kennedy, who will be discussing the importance of health maintenance and safety on and off the field.

After a provided lunch, the students will be escorted to their seats in sections 301 and 331, which have now been dubbed First & Goal Kids zones. In addition, the sections will also have kids play zones along with concession stands aimed towards the young fans.

The Raiders had previously given the 800 tickets to the Oakland Parks and Recreation Department for the first two home games of the 2013 season, who then gave the tickets to youngsters involved in various programs.

"The Raiders have a proud history of giving back to the Oakland community," the Raiders stated in the press release. "This program is another example of our commitment to the cities and towns where we live and play our games. Beyond simply keeping students in school, our goal is to motivate students to thrive and succeed in their education. We want to make a difference in the lives of the students who live and attend school in our community.”