Twenty children were surprised with a shopping spree. It was all part of an effort to encourage kids to stress less and smile more.
Melissa Brown with the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma City said it selected kids for this shopping spree from families with multiple siblings.
“It’s a huge self-esteem boost when you have something that belongs to you and that you picked out,” Brown said. “So the opportunity for these kids that have maybe four or five siblings to be able to have their own item is really kind of cool.”
Sasha Hunt and her little brother roamed through the aisles of Academy Sports + Outdoors. With the money, Hunt said she was able to focus on getting more stuff for her favorite sport: Basketball.
“I play basketball every weekend,” Hunt said. “I practice every week. The shorts are going to help me practice because you can’t wear jeans in basketball practice. Like, the shirts you need and stuff, and the slides are a fashion statement. You got to look good on the court.”
“These kids have been cooped up for about 18 months with all of the coronavirus restrictions that have been in place, and so, to partner with Cricket and Academy (Sports + Outdoors) to come get stuff where they can be encouraged to be outside and play and just some of that stress that they’ve been carrying can just be released,” Brown said.
Cricket Wireless said this partnership allowed them the opportunity to encourage health and fitness in the community and hopes the kids that participated will be able to create special memories with their new purchases.
