Big Al and Witt Make Waite House Kids’ Day

Al Jefferson and Randy Wittman spent the afternoon with kids from the Minneapolis Waite House, a youth and community program in South Minneapolis, to help the kids pick out their supplies for this school year. The 58 kids and two Waite House staff members in attendance at Wednesday's lunch-in at NBA City and shopping spree in the Target Center's media room were on a school bus when the I35W bridge collapsed.

"We feel this is great," said Renisha Gray, Waite House youth employment specialist and temporary youth manager. "A lot of (the kids) were going to be needing some back to school supplies and we really feel grateful right now."

The Wolves head coach and new forward joined the kids at lunch, where they made sure to walk around to each table of kids to chat, sign autographs and pose for pictures. Jefferson and Wittman then helped the kids with their back to school shopping, making sure each kid filled his or her new backpack with pencils, notebooks, calculators and everything else needed for the upcoming school year.

"Overall it's been wonderful," Jefferson said about the experience and seeing the excitement on the kids' faces. "When I first got (to Minnesota) it was kind of sad. My first day in for something like this to happen, and I hear about the kids being on the bus and I heard about the guy being brave and all the kids were being brave and patient and got off the bus. I just thought that it was the right thing to do for them."

Talk of the bridge collapse never presided over the kids, and judging from the excitement and energy that each child displayed, thoughts of the accident were far from their minds.

"It's good that they get some good publicity, all of a sudden," Gray said. "All the rest of the cameras were just being shoved in their face: 'How do you feel? How do you feel?' And now to have it be a good event it makes them feel very, very good that people know that they care and really love them."

Several Timberwolves players donated money to benefit the kids from the Waite House. In addition to the school supply giveaway, the Wolves will also be taking the kids shopping in late October for shoes/boots, jackets, mittens, scarves and hats to prepare for winter.

"Just to know I just reached out when someone needed a helping hand," Jefferson reflected when asked to sum up his feelings. "Especially with the kids, it should be no questions asked. It should be something that people want to do for the kids, because we all have been kids at one point in time. So that's the way I look at it. Just to see the smile on their face."