Dressed in Lakers shirts and Santa hats, 50 team employees scanned through the aisles of a Manhattan Beach Target, checking items off lists for those in need.
Every year, the Lakers’ staff holds a holiday shopping event for those in need. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, busloads of volunteers banded together for the benefit of eight families who lost their homes in the recent SoCal wildfires.
“Today, staff from the Los Angeles Lakers and South Bay Lakers are taking over our local Target to adopt some families from the Salvation Army that have recently been affected by California wildfires,” Lakers Director of Community Relations Mathew Makovec said.
Lakers staff teamed up today to spread holiday cheer and shop for families in our community that recently lost their homes in the wildfires. pic.twitter.com/d6uhnImi8v
— Lakers Community (@LakersCommunity) December 12, 2018
The staff was broken up into teams and given a list provided by one of the families. With a $1,000 budget apiece, each group was tasked with providing their family’s needs, along with some fun gifts for the kids.
Afterward, staff members kept the spirit going with an ugly sweater party at the UCLA Health Training Center, where they wrapped their items for the families to open during the holidays.
“It’s a real rewarding experience to be able to give back and impact these families during the holidays,” Makovec said. “Even though we won’t be there with them on Christmas Day, we know they’ll have something special to share and gather around.”
Source: Los Angeles Lakers