The Christmas holidays are a time for celebration, to give and receive gifts and most importantly to enjoy the company of family and friends.
Sadly, in the very communities in which we work, live and play, there are families who are suffering from not being able to enjoy the holiday season. Whether it is because they don’t have sufficient recources to provide financially for their family, or they are missing family members who are in our military protecting our freedom, these families suffer during the time of year most of us are celebrating family and blessings.
Through the Drayton Florence Foundation, we are committed to helping these very special people, one family at a time.
2010 marked the seventh year of the Christmas Gift Giving program sponsored by the Drayton Florence Foundation. We partnered with WalMart in both Drayton’s hometown of Ocala, FL and in his then NFL home of Buffalo, NY to provide Christmas to 29 youth in each community. Shopping with an NFL player and each carrying a $50 WalMart gift card, students experienced Christmas shopping in a way they never had before! Many of our youth spent some of their own gift card purchasing items for their family members, demonstrating the great character the foundation strives to help build in our community youth.
In 2011, the foundaiton co-hosted an amazing event called Santa’s Vision with the great folks at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Buffalo. In addition, Drayton continued his annaul commitment to the youth in his hometown at the Ed Croskie Community Center in Ocala, FL, with a Christmas celebration and gifts for all!
2012 marked the foundation’s 8th annual Christmas giving campaign, with celebrations in both Detroit and Ocala for over 200 families, making it our most amazing year yet!