The Target Store in Homewood played host to University of Illinois at Chicago basketball players who helped kids from the Glenwood Academy make the rounds of the toy department.
The visit was done at the behest of UIC Flames Coach Robert Ehsan who covered the costs of the purchases made by 25 Glenwood Academy students on Dec. 17.
when the UIC basketball team took kids from Glenwood Academy
on a shopping spree for holiday gifts.
(Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
Glenwood Academy, 500 W. 187th St., is a private residential school providing life-changing solutions for more than 150 students, ages 7 to 23, and their families who are dealing with poverty, violence, homelessness and lack of resources.
Students loaded their carts with soccer balls, drones, Nintendo games, Legos, headphones and board games.
Monee resident Ahmad Henderson, a point guard, said he was happy to join in the fun helping Aaron Navarrete, 9, pick out a new Nintendo game.
The opportunity to shop was a treat for the students who wouldn’t get expensive gifts. Ehsan said it was a UIC donor who suggested the coach consider Glenwood Academy for his holiday giving this year. Ehsan, who came to Chicago from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, made gift-giving a regular practice in previous years. He brought his young son and daughter with him on the shopping spree.
“This was an amazing opportunity for our students,” said Glenwood Academy staff member Colleen Carter.
