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Tag: Harry the Hawk

  • Lil Baby, Lil Yachty Team Up for Holiday Giveback in Atlanta’s West End

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    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    On Saturday, December 20, families from across Atlanta gathered in the city’s West End for a large-scale holiday giveback led by Grammy-winning rapper Lil Baby and his nonprofit, The Jones Project, in partnership with the Lil Yachty Foundation.

    Phoo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Families received toys, bikes, and gift cards, along with winter essentials including coats donated by Canada Goose, more than 800 Tech Fleece sweatsuits provided by Nike, and hats supplied by Lids. Children moved between stations offering hot chocolate and candy bars and posed for photos with Santa. The Atlanta Hawks mascot, Harry the Hawk, alongside the Flight Team, also made special appearances, hosting merchandise stations and giveaways that added to the excitement. Food partners for the day included Sonic, Raising Cane’s, and Heinz.

    The event took place at a West End production warehouse along Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, which was transformed into a festive environment filled with music, food stations, and family-friendly activities.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Several families arrived hours before the event officially began, bundled up against temperatures that felt more like Minnesota than Atlanta. Diamond Jones, an Atlanta mother, said she and her children came early after learning from past events that lines can grow quickly. “My kids and just being able to get out and see faces, giving them a chance to see what it’s like to receive,” Jones said. “Normally we’re giving, so just to get out and see the many different things and the different stations,” Jones said. Her family received PlayStation controllers, a Nike Tech jacket, and gifts for all four of her children, including a bike for one of her daughters.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Another attendee, Chanel, a Westside Atlanta native, said she brought her two children to support Lil Baby and witness the impact of his community work firsthand. Her children received bikes, a four-wheeler toy, a Nerf gun, and winter accessories such as coats, scarves, and hats. She said the event created excitement for the holiday season while reinforcing a sense of connection between artists and the neighborhoods they come from. “They’re excited to come here and just support what he’s doing for the community,” she said.

    The Jones Project, founded by Lil Baby, is a community-based nonprofit focused on empowering children and families in Atlanta’s historic West End by providing access to food, clothing, educational support, and safe spaces. The Lil Yachty Foundation centers its work on youth development, education, and mentorship, particularly in metro Atlanta and Southeast Georgia. Together, the organizations used the holiday giveback to reinforce a shared message of generosity, visibility, and support for families who need it most during the winter months.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Members of the Lil Yachty Foundation were on site throughout the afternoon, helping distribute items and interact with families as Lil Yachty moved through the crowd, greeting attendees. Reflecting on the day, he emphasized the importance of presence and participation during the holiday season. “It feels good giving back”.

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    Noah Washington

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  • JP Morgan Chase hosts Back-To-School event in Summerhill 

    JP Morgan Chase hosts Back-To-School event in Summerhill 

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    To lighten the back-to-school shopping load, JP Morgan Chase gave away 400 backpacks, along with school supplies.
    Photo by Erinn Gardner/The Atlanta Voice

    JP Morgan Chase hosted a back-to-school student and family event at the Summerhill Community Center on Saturday, July 13. In order to encourage adequate financial habits, the bank’s community team held five insightful workshops ranging from investing 101 to building and understanding credit. 

    Community residents of different ages, races and economic status gathered in the center for the company’s second annual back-to-school event. According to JPMorgan Chase Community and Business Development Managing and Divisional Director Bridget Killings, Chase was very intentional about choosing workshops, with the goal of ensuring that people of all ages could gain value from them. The premise of the event is that one is never too young nor old to attain financial literacy.

    “What we love about today is that parents are bringing their kids in for this education, so not only are the parents getting an education, but the kids are too. And once they leave, the parents can continue this education at home so it’s applicable to all aspects of life,” Killings said. 

    Black and brown communities statistically do not discuss finances at home as thoroughly as other communities. This event offered them the opportunity to acquire new information in order to effectively converse, and hold those kitchen table discussions at home. 

    “You don’t want your kids to grow up struggling, so it’s best to teach them about finance and how to manage their money at a young age,” community resident Annesheia Hill said.

    A Chase representative (above) leads a credit building workshop.  Photo by Erinn Gardner/The Atlanta Voice

     The Emerging 100 Atlanta partnered with Chase when coordinating this event, as their mission aligns with the doings of the banking company. They aim to serve as a reflection of not only the Black youth, but of the community as a whole. 

    “We have an obligation, and it is tied to our mission to serve the community, to be of assistance and to inspire,” Emerging 100 Atlanta Co-Chair Daniel Farr said. “What they see is what they become. We want to ensure that we are serving alongside them, never in front, never behind, but always beside.” 

    To lighten the back-to-school shopping load, Chase gave away 400 backpacks, along with school supplies. This provides parents the option to preserve their funds and apply the financial advice they learned during these sessions to invest in themselves, as well as their children. 

    “I’m a mother of five and I know back to school season can be very stressful and our goal today is to lighten parents’ loads. It means the world to us to be able to support and provide for our community,”  JPMorgan Chase Executive and Market Director of Banking Ladonna Murphy said.

    The company’s community team held a carnival style event outside of the center with games and treats appealing to the youth: popcorn, Jenga, Connect 4, ice cream and music. Finally, Atlanta Hawks Harry the Hawk arrived to interact with the children and take photos with the guests. 

    “I think financial literacy classes are important for building generational wealth, and I didn’t really know how to navigate teaching that to my children, so I thought it was a great opportunity for us to come and take advantage of a free resource in our neighborhood,” Summerhill resident Miesha Lanes said. 

    [ad_2] Erinn Gardner, DTU Intern
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