After he was the top pick in the 2005 NFL draft, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith knew what he did and did not want to do with his foundation.

Smith wanted to start one, and he wanted to involve his family.

Smith did not want a foundation that organized one lavish event, barely raising any money, and he did not want to be clueless about the cause he would support.

“There were a lot of athletes who were happy to say they had a foundation,” Smith said. “They didn’t know where the money was going or what they were doing. They just wanted to have a golf tournament.”

Smith quickly found his foundation’s calling. Shortly after the draft, Smith visited with some foster youth around his age, and he marveled at how much their stories contrasted to his.

“I grew up in a great family, and I had a lot of support,” said Smith, who attended Helix High in California. “They were always there for me. And here I was meeting with 17 or 18 year olds who were about to be homeless, and had no one there for them.

“They had to find somewhere to live, and feed themselves. They have aspirations, but they’re just trying to survive.”

Smith met one of the ultimate foster system survivors. He had lunch with Antwone Fisher, who chronicled his own experience in the foster care system in an autobiography that was adapted into a self-titled major motion picture. Inspired by Fisher and others, Smith decided that the Alex Smith Foundation would support foster youth.

Smith tapped the wisdom of his mother Pam, who, as deputy director of health and human services for San Diego County, dealt quite a bit with foster youth. Smith also determined how to help the students.

“Education is really important to me,” said Smith, who graduated in May 2003 with a bachelors degree in Economics. “I want to give (foster youth) a similar opportunity that I had.”

Smith shared his vision with San Diego State University president Stephen Weber, and the two crafted the framework of a new scholarship funded by Smith’s foundation.

Smith, though, insisted on providing more than tuition money to his scholarship recipients. His “Guardian Scholars” have their own office on campus, replete with a full-time staffer, a study area and a computer, and they are always guaranteed housing on campus.

“We’re spoiled, huh?” said Candy Morales, one of the Guardian Scholars. “It’s like we’re their kids. The Smith Family just adopted 10 kids.”

Smith was troubled when he heard that some students were kicked out of dorms during spring break but had nowhere to go.

“The kids are supposed to feed themselves, and clothe themselves, get insurance, and try to go to school,” Smith said. “And in California, the cost of living is ridiculous. I know I couldn’t have done it, if my parents, when I was 18, said, ‘Good luck.’ ”

Smith said he refused to “throw money at the problem,” and he would rather personally cover the $500,000-plus cost to graduate his inaugural class of 10 than to give the students a scholarship then wish them well.

“I will be trying to fund raise,” Smith said, “but, ultimately, it’ll be my responsibility.”

Smith even proudly said that his scholars have someone to call if their vehicles break down.

“To be able to put them through college puts a smile on my face,” Smith said. “I want them to have a chance at success.”

Morales has only met Smith twice, but she was flattered that the NFL quarterback remembered all of the scholars’ names. He also took his scholars bowling, and he met privately with each of them to ask them what they would study and to tell him what they needed.

“He didn’t have to take us bowling. He didn’t have to talk to us. He didn’t even have to meet us,” Morales said. “But he did. And that means a lot. He wants to get to know what our purpose is, and he wants us to know that we can do this. He’s inspirational too, because he also graduated from college.”

Morales said she’s already become friends with several of the other Guardians, and she added that they are united in their unique program.

“Even though we all come from various backgrounds, we’re in the system, and we’re all foster youth,” she said. “Not only do we have support from each other, but we also have support from other people who want to understand us and help us, not just pimp our story.

“It’s not like, ‘Here’s a $1,000, now go to school.’ Someone is going to actually hold our hand,” Morales said. “They’ve developed a program so we feel like we can’t fail.”

After a two-hour training camp practice, Smith eagerly chatted about his foundation, gushing about his Guardians and his plans for the future, perhaps expanding the number of scholars.

“It is very exciting,” Smith said. “It’s strange being 23 and having a scholarship. But it puts things in perspective.”

But Smith’s support of foster youth goes beyond his own program. In April, Smith testified at the California legislature to get foster students support beyond the age of 18. He wrote his own testimony, and he held a press conference afterwards.

Pam could not be there. But she quickly got her hands on a videotape. The mother, who had watched her son rack up a 21-1 record in college, and a 25-1 record in high school, had a new favorite image of her son.

“It’s right at the top,” Pam said. “When I watched what he did, it’s hard to describe how full your heart is, and it brings tears to my eyes. His goal is do as much for foster kids as he does for the 49ers -- and he hopes to do a lot for the 49ers.”

For more information on the Alex Smith Foundation, visit http://www.alexsmithfoundation.org/.

Nothing But Love needs your help. All sports organizations do some sort of community service. But we’re looking to highlight the ones who show their commitment with dollars, hours and star power. Do you think one of your local teams -- high school, college, professional -- is worthy of recognition? E-mail your nominations to nothinbutlovefor@aol.com