Grizzlies “Season Of Giving” By Supporting Fellow Memphians Throughout The Area…
The Memphis Grizzlies participated in this year’s annual Season of Giving campaign by being active in the months of November and December. Through a variety of Season of Giving events, Memphis Grizzlies players, coaches, and staff members annually bring holiday cheer to the Mid-South. As part of the NBA Cares Season of Giving, the Grizzlies work to improve the lives of young people and families who are underprivileged.
The Grizzlies players, staff, and family members collaborated with Meals of Hope to put together 50,000 meals to give to three Mid-South non-profits: My Town Miracles, the Mid-South Food Bank, and Klondike Smokey City CDC. This was done to kick off the team’s Season of Giving initiatives. Ingredients for breakfast and dinner meals were provided to each organization so they could give them to Memphis families who are in food deserts.
Grizzlies staff members and departments adopted 40 angels through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, which provides the magic of Christmas for thousands of underserved children. The Memphis Grizzlies also participated in Memphis Shelby County School’s annual Operation Warm Hearts clothing drive by donating clothing items and providing new winter accessories to Memphis youth.
Together with the Salvation Army, GrizzFam—people who provide a helping hand to Grizzlies players and staff—served Thanksgiving dinner to families at the Purdue Center of Hope. Over eighty women and kids came and took part in arts and crafts, such as coloring and decorating cookies.
The Memphis Grizzlies took part in the yearly Foote/South City Resident Holiday Walk-Thru Event, which is intended for low-income current residents of Foote Park at South City as well as former residents of the public housing complex Foote Homes. Along with meals and household supplies, residents also had the chance to learn more about other resources available to help support their families over the holidays.
The Grizzlies encouraged fans to get into the giving spirit by donating to a toy drive benefiting Porter Leath at WMC Action News. Fans who donated a toy or made a monetary contribution received a pair of tickets to an upcoming Grizzlies game.
Additionally, the Memphis Grizzlies Scholars Program hosted its service project at Room in the Inn, as they assisted with cleaning, organizing and revamping resident rooms and storage closets.
GRIZZLIES PLAYERS GIVE BACK
Outside of team-organized events, Grizzlies players continue to show their support for Season of Giving through individual efforts. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, Jaren Jackson Jr. spearheaded his own MUCHREQUIRED fundraising campaign to support his passions for the arts, education and helping children. Jackson Jr.’s inspiration was drawn from his grandmother and her constant reminder, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Jackson Jr.’s donations supported three Memphis organizations – Girls Inc, Man Up Teacher Fellowship and LITE Memphis. Jackson Jr. also hosted 30 families at the Memphis Zoo to experience the annual Zoo Lights holiday exhibit. Families, who were invited by his Giving Tuesday partners, received gifts from Jackson Jr. and dinner from Wing Guru.
Through Grizzlies Connect, which provides and supports volunteering opportunities for its staff,Desmond Bane and Grizzlies employees visited Oasis of Hope to serve as friendly faces for senior citizens during the holiday season by providing lunch, enjoying sweet treats and playing board games with the residents. Bane covered the cost of items and activities for the seniors and staff members, while Grizzlies Connect volunteers started a necessity closet for the organization. Bane also partnered with Memphis Shelby County Schools to support education through his Holiday Read Along, a holiday-themed reading event to enhance students’ literary capacity and the fun of reading. Lucky students who participated also received books and holiday gifts.
Grizzlies players and coaching staff sponsored a Holiday Suite Night for patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Patients and their families received food, gifts, and a special behind-the-scenes look at the team as they watched pregame media interviews and warmups. Head Coach Taylor Jenkins stopped by to visit with patients pregame, and Luke Kennard made a courtside visit to welcome them as well. Additionally, Derrick Rose and John Konchar each hosted their own Family Suite Night for single-mom families and families recommended by local nonprofits to receive Grizzlies suite tickets, food and gifts from their wish list to brighten their holidays.
The Grizzlies and Pepsi teamed up with Kroger in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis for a holiday shopping spree hosted by Bismack Biyombo and Grizzlies announcer Brevin Knight, who were on hand with five families out of 25 who had the chance to shop in-store for the holidays. All 25 families each received $1,000 for their holiday grocery needs. For the second year in a row, David Roddy also contributed to Operation Christmas Basket, a food basket drive for families in Memphis and Shelby County that has served nearly 5,000 people as a continued tradition for over 40 years.
As part of their Red Tub Day program, Luke Kennard teamed up with the Memphis Family Connection Center to give Christmas gifts to foster children and at-risk youth. They gathered and sorted the items on their wish list, then delivered them to the Memphis Family Connection Center.
Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins also participated in Season of Giving alongside his family as he provided a catered Holiday Feast to a family of 17 through My Town Miracles in an effort to combat food insecurities and support families in need during the holidays.
The Grizzlies and Pepsi teamed up with Kroger in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis for a holiday shopping spree hosted by Bismack Biyombo and Grizzlies announcer Brevin Knight, who were on hand with five families out of 25 who had the chance to shop in-store for the holidays. All 25 families each received $2,000 for their holiday grocery needs. For the second year in a row, David Roddy also contributed to Operation Christmas Basket, a food basket drive for families in Memphis and Shelby County that has served nearly 5,000 people as a continued tradition for over 40 years.
Luke Kennard partnered with Memphis Family Connection Center to provide children at risk and in foster care with gifts for Christmas as part of their Red Tub Day initiative. Items collected from their wish list were sorted and delivered to the Memphis Family Connection Center.
Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins also participated in Season of Giving alongside his family as he provided a catered Holiday Feast to a family of 17 through My Town Miracles in an effort to combat food insecurities and support families in need during the holidays.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FOUNDATION
The Memphis Grizzlies Foundation hosted numerous events throughout Season of Giving to continue to support youth mentoring. Throughout the month of November, the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation joined MENTOR National to promote Thank Your Mentor/Mentee Month, as they highlighted mentors and mentees during Grizzlies home games. Mentors were given the opportunity to express gratitude for their mentee and what they have taught them.
MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies (MMG), TEAM Mentor and Santi Aldama continued Season of Giving with Mould It Like a Mentor, a special holiday pottery class for members of the TEAMmates Mentor Recognition Program at Belltower Coffeehouse and Wine Bar. Attendees enjoyed free food and drinks courtesy of Belltower and got behind the pottery wheel to experience a fun and interactive activity. Aldama also provided 40 mentor-mentee matches from the Grizzlies Foundation’s grantee organizations with the opportunity to attend AutoZone Park’s Deck the Diamond winter wonderland, where participants experienced over 190 holiday light displays, an outdoor ice rink, food and drinks, entertainment and more.
At the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s yearly Magic of Memphis holiday concert at the Cannon Center, the MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies welcomed forty participants from the TEAMmates Mentor Recognition Program. For a fun holiday event, MSO kindly donated tickets so that mentors and mentees could enjoy the orchestra together.
MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies and the TEAM Mentor Program tipped-off their Season of Giving initiatives with an Appreciation Brunch for school site contacts, as well as TEAMmates provider businesses. Guests enjoyed holiday brunch and gifts as the Foundation staff celebrated their hard work, dedication and offerings to each respective program. Additionally, the TEAM Mentor Program celebrated the holidays with a special viewing of A Christmas Carol at Theatre Memphis. After the show, program participants enjoyed lunch, a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of the stage, costumes and props, and participated in an interactive theatre workshop led by Theatre Memphis teaching artists.
The TEAM Mentor Alumni Association supports Season of Giving with their own initiatives, including the Shoe Restoration Service Project. Alumni cleaned and restored 50 pairs of shoes donated from Grizzlies employees and TEAM Mentors, which were gifted to the Hospitality Hub during the Kickback Season of Giving Event on Thursday, Dec. 14. The Alumni Association also hosted 20 Elementary Students from a partnering organization for the TEAM Mentor Alumni Kickback. Students were fitted for their correct shoe size and had an opportunity to shop for their favorite style of shoe as a holiday gift from TEAM Mentor Alumni. Guests also enjoyed food, music, and special holiday surprises. During this event, TEAM Mentor Alumni also honored The Hospitality Hub and formally announced how many shoes were collected, restored, and donated to the organization.
Lastly, program mentors and mentees were hosted for their annual Holiday Celebration by the TEAM Mentor Program and the Memphis Grizzlies Scholars Program in collaboration. On Friday, December 15, attendees enjoyed dinner, holiday sweets, and prizes at FedEx Plaza before going to FedExForum to watch the Memphis Grizzlies play the Houston Rockets.