On Saturday before the men's basketball game vs. Troy, Trojan Outreach partnered with Excel Like 12 to host approximately 280 children from organizations such as Beyond the Bell, LAPD's Watts Bears, LAPD's Jeopardy and the Fundamentals Foundation at a holiday party. Prior to the hoops game, Reuben Peters of USC Football spoke to the children about being well-rounded, excelling in everything they do and appreciating Christmas. He then, with the help of men's basketball players Bennie Boatwright and Derryck Thornton, passed out gift bags to each of the children. The children were treated to dinner and stayed to watch USC beat Troy, 82-77.On Sunday, Trojan Outreach hosted a Girls Play Holiday --- an event focused on inspiring young girls to believe in themselves, the power of being a girl and the power of exercise and healthy living. After listening to assistant coach Taja Edwards speak, the group of approximately 600 girls from the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks' "Girls Play LA" program enjoyed a sports-themed carnival inside Galen Center, where they tossed footballs, practiced their golf putting and tried to bowl perfect strikes. After the girls watched the women's basketball game, the team surprised the girls by handing out gift bags.
Today, the football team got in on the holiday fun by visiting the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Head coach Clay Helton, defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, and players Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, Leon McQuay III, Michael Hutchings, Jalen Greene and Nico Falah visited a group room of children receiving dialysis treatment, then met with individual patients and families who were Trojan fans. Coach Helton promised to treat each of the children to a USC game next season through USC's Trojan Wish program. Trojan Outreach gave a gift bag to each child and also donated 50 presents to CHLA's "North Pole," its center for holiday activities.
USC Football got into the holiday spirit today, visiting CHLA to give out Christmas gifts! ?????? #FightOnGiveBack https://t.co/re5C3e2otK
-- Trojan Outreach (@TrojanOutreach) December 20, 2016
In total, Trojan Outreach handed out 3,000 gifts, which was made possible by the donations of Grant & Bowman, Inc.
