Over the Thanksgiving holiday from November 22-29, the Warriors and Glad teamed up to recognize five exemplary Bay Area individuals who have embodied kindness and service to others through their community organizations. On Tuesday, November 29, the five #GladToGive heroes were rewarded for their generosity and impact with a $1,000 shopping spree at the Alameda Target location to shop for needed items for each of their organizations.
“Today we went on a shopping spree for supplies for our foundation,” said Silicon Valley Education Foundation Teacher Shannon Soza. “We purchased a printer and speakers for our office, construction paper and various art supplies to promote our organization’s professional development, so we feel really fortunate to be a part of this.”
Joining the group was Warriors center JaVale McGee, who surprised the #GladToGive heroes with custom jerseys and joined each of them in their shopping sprees. A photography buff, McGee advised the group on which cameras would be best and used his 7’0 frame to reach top-shelf furniture items from the Target aisles.
“I’m so excited to receive this Glad To Give honor because I really enjoy what I do for the East Oakland Youth Development Center,” said Adult Education and Career Coach Anana Scott. “It inspires me to see students receive a second chance at success and to see them move forward is my joy and privilege, and I thank the Warriors for making this moment possible.”
The #GladToGive heroes and organizations recognized were Scott [East Oakland Youth Development Center], Mario Valadez [Oakland Promise], Diana Hernandez [Covenant House], Charlotte Jones [Museum of Craft and Design] and Shannon Eagle [Silicon Valley Education Foundation]. McGee walked with the heroes as they excitedly shared their community work, and what these supplies will mean to their students and beneficiaries.
“It inspires me to see people who don’t have much, but still give so much to others,” said McGee. “Joining these five groups for a shopping spree and seeing them get what they wanted, not just what they needed, meant a lot to me.”
As the groups headed to the checkout register to bag their items, the #GladToGive Heroes shared hugs, photos and holiday wishes with McGee, and thanked everyone for their hand in making this shopping spree possible. Each #GladToGive Hero and his or her sponsor received Warriors Season of Giving holiday bags, courtesy of Glad.
“As a student, I’ve never had so much money and the opportunity to shop like this, I’m at a loss for words,” said Valadez. “I’m so grateful to JaVale and the Warriors organization for building a bond with me and giving back to the community on this scale.”
This event is part of the Warriors Season of Giving community outreach initiative, as each Warriors player will participate in at least one event this holiday season to brighten the lives of youth and families in the Bay Area.