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Jay Z Gives Hundreds of Foster Kids Free Concert Tickets

CLEVELAND -- Thousands of Jay Z fans packed Quicken Loans Arena to see the rapper perform on Sunday night.

CLEVELAND -- Thousands of Jay Z fans packed Quicken Loans Arena to see the rapper perform on Sunday night.

Among them, hundreds of special guests who happen to have one thing in common.

Ada Couch knows what foster care is like, she grew up in the system.

"When I was released at 18, my foster mom just told me, 'Hey, you're 18, get out,'" Couch said.

It was six years ago that the same system that she grew up in took her four kids away.

During an abusive relationship, she found herself in trouble and was sentenced to six years in prison.

She served five years and eight months.

After being home for a year, she and her family are rebuilding and snapping back from a vicious cycle, thanks to another foster child.

Kevinee Gilmore, known for creating #FosterCare, is helping to make that possible.

"I really created hashtag foster care out of rejection,” Gilmore said.

On Instagram, you might have seen her #FosterCare posts, standing with celebrities, holding a sign and spreading the word about the foster system.

"It feels really good to engage a whole new set of eyes,” Gilmore said.

Those new sets of eyes triggered a new level of giving on Sunday night.

"I met Mrs. Perez, the COO of Roc Nation and I showed her what I was doing with foster care, how many celebrities supported, she was like, 'We're going to give you the Jay Z tickets for when he comes,'" Gilmore said.

She followed through and 300 foster kids and parents, adopted children, aged out youth, birth parents and supporters went to Jay Z’s concert for free.

Town Hall in Ohio City offered to host the get-together before the concert. Free food, a free shuttle to and from The Q and VIP treatment.

Of course, Couch and her 17-year-old son were on that guest list.

"She was such a wonderful person, she even got my hair done,” Couch said. “She's just an inspiration."

Talessia Martin, from Healing Hearts Foundation, invited 18 kids to the free concert.

"When I told the parents about it, half of them didn't believe me,” Martin said.

As everyone loaded the shuttles, they had tickets in hand, yellow shirts on and a clear idea of what family is really about.

"Thanksgiving is coming around and a lot of them will be depressed, they will be in a state of depression,” Gilmore said. “At least this is something that's memorable, that they had a good time. It was Jay Z concert."

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