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Atlanta Hawks Players Distribute 1,500 Gifts to Kids

Clint Capela, John Collins, Cam Reddish, and Delon Wright teamed up with ‘Santa For A Day’ and Atlanta Housing.

Pat Benson

Hawks / Kat Goduco Photography
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On Saturday afternoon, the Atlanta Hawks hosted a holiday party in collaboration with Santa For A Day­, a non-religiously affiliated non-profit organization that answers letters to Santa from underserved children, ages 5-12, living in public housing properties and provides them with holiday gifts, basic needs, and educational supplies; and Atlanta Housing (AH), the largest public housing authority in Georgia.

Hawks players Clint Capela, John Collins, Cam Reddish, and Delon Wright made a surprise appearance at the party. They were joined by members of Hawks Entertainment, including Harry the Hawk, ATL Hawks Dancers, and the Flight Crew, as well as various team executives.

“We are grateful to have an opportunity to bring some holiday cheer to this special group of children in the Atlanta community with both gifts and with surprise appearances from Cam, Clint, John, and Delon,” said Hawks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Andrea Carter. “To have Hawks players take the time to come here and connect with these families is what it means to be ‘True to Atlanta.’”

Joining the Hawks were volunteers from ‘Santa For A Day’ who joined together to distribute nearly 1,500 gifts to children and their families. The afternoon was full of fun holiday-themed activities, which included treats, games, and arts and crafts.

“We’re so grateful to the Atlanta Hawks for surprising, delighting, and bringing smiles to all of these children, helping to make this a holiday they won’t forget,” said Rich Gentile, the program’s executive director. “Our aim is to reach into as many of Atlanta’s most underserved areas and demonstrate, by example, the healing power of ‘goodness in the face of adversity.’”

As part of an ongoing partnership between Santa For A Day and AH, the two organizations work together to reach children in local communities and provide them a safe method for contacting families to both collect children’s letters for Santa and later distribute the presents. In 2020, the two organizations provided gifts to Atlanta’s youth, most of whom live below the federal poverty line.

“On behalf of the Atlanta Housing board and staff, I extend holiday greetings, and a warm thank you to our partners Santa for a Day and the Atlanta Hawks for their generosity to our young residents and their families,” said Atlanta Housing President and CEO Eugene Jones, Jr.

This past Saturday’s event was a continuation of the Hawks’ ‘Season of Giving’ initiatives, which has also included providing more than 150 students with new eyeglasses, vision screenings, and new eyeglasses through a partnership from the Atlanta Hawks Foundation, Vision To Learn, and Fulton County Schools. In addition, earlier this month, the Hawks and Georgia Power teamed up for a tree-lighting event featuring Hawks star John Collins at Dobbins Air Reserve Base (Marietta, Ga.) and provided about 100 military service members with Christmas trees and other gifts.

For more information about the Hawks’ efforts in the community, visit Hawks.com/community.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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