Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant is set to host his second annual Back to School Giveaway at his alma mater, Choctawhatchee High School, on July 13, 2024.
- The event, scheduled from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., will offer free backpacks and school supplies to students of all ages.
Grant, a Choctawhatchee High School alumni, initiated this giveaway last year as a way to give back to his community.
Reflecting on the inaugural event, Grant said that while it wasn’t as organized as they had hoped, it was a blessing because the community showed up and “went with the flow.”
- “It was actually perfect because it made the event so authentic,” he laughed. “I was just trying to bless people with some backpacks, school supplies and it ended up becoming like meet-and-greet among a bunch of other things.”
Despite challenging weather conditions last year, the community’s response was overwhelming.
- “We went through all 500 backpacks within the first hour or so,” Grant recalled. The enthusiastic turnout left a lasting impression on the NFL player. “It’s a blessing. I felt really good the entire day and it lifted my spirits a lot to meet everybody.”
Building on last year’s success, Grant has made several improvements for this year’s event. The giveaway will feature a more organized entry system and additional tents for weather protection. Grant has also increased the number of backpacks from 500 to 750 to meet the higher demand.
New additions to this year’s event include entertainment for children. “I’ll probably have a bouncy house out there for the kids and maybe even a barber out there just cutting some heads for free,” Grant revealed.
Continuing a popular feature from last year, Grant will again raffle off tickets to an Atlanta Falcons home game.
- “Everybody make sure you grab them a ticket because I will be doing a raffle to see who will be coming to a home game this year,” he advised. The winner will be announced via social media one week after the event.
For Grant, returning to Choctawhatchee High School holds special significance. “The nostalgia is crazy. Every time I get on that field, I think about a [football] play,” he shared. He sees the event as an opportunity to inspire current students: “I can go back there and tell those kids that they can do the exact same thing as me, just keep working hard.”
As he prepares for the upcoming NFL season, Grant remains committed to his community work. His message to potential attendees is simple: “It’s free. You’re going to have a good time. The Lord blessed me and I want to bless you.”
For more information about the event, interested parties can contact firstname.lastname@example.org.