Greensboro, N.C., December 16, 2021 – The Greensboro Swarm, the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, today announced that the organization will join Academy Sports + Outdoors to support three local nonprofits for the annual Holiday Shopping Spree. Beneficiaries include Beyond Sports, Salvation Army – Boys & Girls Club of Greensboro and YMCA of Greensboro.
“We are very thankful to work with Academy Sports + Outdoors for the third season in a row for such an impactful event,” Swarm President Steve Swetoha said. “The holidays can be difficult for some families in our community and we pursue these opportunities to work with community-driven organizations to bring seasonal cheer. Being able to support three nonprofits and so many kids and families this time of the season is very important to our organization.”
Much like the previous edition of the Holiday Shopping Spree, the 2021 version will largely be virtual.
Both the Boys & Girls Club and YMCA submitted a ‘Wish List’ of Academy Sports + Outdoors items on behalf of 16 youth members within their nonprofit. A contactless ‘Wish List’ pickup event will be held on December 15 with representatives from each organization. The nonprofits will distribute the gifts to the 32 youth members at a later date.
Additionally, Swarm staff, coaches and players will record a personalized holiday digital message for each of the recipients after wrapping a special gift for them. The messages and gifts will be shared with the nonprofits to distribute but fans will see all the Holiday Shopping Spree content on the team’s digital platforms.
For Beyond Sports, the ‘Wish List’ was made up of items to support their programming and mission to get school-aged kids involved in sports by eliminating barriers to entry.
The Holiday Shopping Spree, in conjunction with the NBA’s Season of Giving, is one of multiple events throughout the season the Swarm participates in to better serve the community through the organization’s 5 Months of Giving as a part of the 5th Anniversary celebration.