‘Twas days before Christmas, when all through our stores, we surprised kids with gift cards and opened our doors!
This is our fifth year in a row to host giving spree events and help bring joy to hundreds of deserving children over the holiday season. This year, we expanded our annual holiday tradition to 49 states and Puerto Rico, benefitting over 1,275 low-income youth.
JCPenney stores partnered with a youth organization in their community – such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters and more – to host a shopping event for 25 deserving children. Each child is provided with a gift card to purchase new clothes, coats and shoes, as well as gifts for their family. And if that wasn’t joyful enough, we surprised some of these kids by inviting a celebrity or notable athlete to join in on the fun.
Singer Joe Jonas kicked off our giving spree program in our Manhattan store and surprised 25 local Y kids, helping them shop for presents for friends and family. Chef and Food Network™ personality Ayesha Curry attended our giving spree event at our JCPenney in San Bruno, Calif., making it all the more memorable for kids and parents.
Additionally, professional athletes from the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans made guest appearances, scoring extra points for children enjoying their in-store shopping experience.
Our giving spree program is intended to help disadvantaged children enjoy something special this holiday season. Through our 501(c)(3) public charity, the JCPenney Communities Foundation, we support programs that help close the opportunity gap for underserved youth through essential clothing needs, access to youth programs and career readiness support. For more information visit www.jcp.com/community.
