Jacksonville Jaguars players and staff have shown their festive side throughout the Christmas season and done so in a variety of ways, all with the goal of helping the Northeast Florida community and making it a merry time of year for all.
As a result, more than 250 volunteers have donated more than 760 hours of service and nearly $135,000 that has helped 375 children and families in recent weeks.
Some of the highlighted events this year included:
Holidays with Travon Walker at Neighborhood Heroz
The Travon Walker Foundation hosted its inaugural Huddle Up for the Holidays with Travon Walker at local barbershop, Neighborhood Heroz on Dec. 16.
This special event was designed to spread holiday cheer and create lasting memories for 10 deserving teenagers—five boys and five girls—who are members of the Boys & Girls Club and have military ties.
The evening featured a true barbershop talk experience, where the teenagers not only received haircuts and manicures, but also had the chance to engage in meaningful conversations with Walker and others in a relaxed, community-driven environment.
Each participant also received holiday gifts and a meal, ensuring they felt celebrated and appreciated during the festive season.
Arik Armstead Backpack Stuffing
The families of Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead and general manager Trent Baalke joined representatives from Lakeside Elementary School in Orange Park and packed backpacks filled with healthy foods at the Miller Electric Center on Dec. 17.
As a result, 40 students were sent home with multiple bags of food to help them over the holiday break.
Backpack Stuffing helps supplement meals for the students over the weekends and holiday breaks when they do not have access to school breakfast or lunch.
Through the Armstead Academic Project, Armstead and his wife Mindy donated $20,000 to the school to start this program to help students experiencing food insecurity by providing food-filled backpacks to take home every Friday.
Shop with a Jaguar
For the eighth year, Jaguars players helped 325 Jacksonville-area children with their holiday shopping for themselves and their loved ones.
Jaguars players Tyson Campbell and Walker shopped with 100 kids from Sponsored by Grace and MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation at Academy Sports + Outdoors on Dec. 17, while Foye Oluokun, DaVon Hamilton, Parker Washington and Esezi Otomewo assisted 225 children from the Boys & Girls Club with their gift purchases at Walmart.
Each child at both locations received dinner, a shirt, Jaguars swag and a $150 gift card for their shopping spree.
Additionally, Mac Jones and Devin Lloyd contributed funds to pay for the gift cards which were funded by participating Jaguars players.
Four One For All Foundation Christmas Party
Josh Hines-Allen and his Four One For All Foundation hosted a Christmas party at Grove Park Elementary School in Orange Park for 10 pre-selected and deserving families on Dec. 17.
Each family enjoyed a catered dinner from True Food Kitchen, gingerbread house decorating, DJ Christmas music, met Santa and opened gifts from their wish lists.
Ronald McDonald House with Jaguars Special Teams
Jaguars specialists Logan Cooke, Ross Matiscik and Cam Little joined team mascot Jaxson de Ville to visit children and their families at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville on Dec. 18.
The players donated $10,000 towards toys that were gifted to the children and their families.
The evening was full of excitement as the children opened presents, played games with the players and took pictures with them and Santa.
12 Days of Teal
This holiday season, the Jaguars Foundation gave back to the Northeast Florida community with the 12 Days of Teal initiative from Dec. 18 to 29, in which the Jaguars Foundation and FIS donated $60,000 worth of grants to 12 deserving nonprofits in the Jacksonville community, including Women’s Center of Jacksonville, Angels for Allison and Sanctuary on 8th and others.
The grants are designed to assist and uplift organizations who work tirelessly to make Jacksonville better. Each organization was highlighted via Jaguars social media.
