Red Wings, Tigers spread holiday cheer with Hometown Holiday Assist

DETROIT --Nearly 100 children will have something extra under the Christmas tree this year, thanks to the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers.
Forty families from Clark Park Coalition gathered at the Fox Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 5 for the annual Hometown Holiday Assist. The families were treated to a festive holiday experience complete with gifts, food, arts & crafts and an invitation to attend the Cirque Dreams Holidaze show, complements of 313 Presents, later that afternoon.

"An event like the Hometown Holiday Assist is really focused on making sure the Red Wings and Tigers are connected with our community and the holidays," said Kevin Brown, director of community impact for the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. "An event like this one today really puts an exclamation point on that effort."
The celebration began in the Grand Lobby of the Fox Theatre, which was filled with festive lights, holiday wreaths and a colorful Christmas tree that overlooked the crowd of smiling faces. Holiday cheer was in the air as children flocked to the hot chocolate station, opened gifts and even took pictures with jolly old St. Nick himself.

"This morning, to have residents from southwest Detroit here at the beautiful Fox Theatre to enjoy a morning of arts & crafts, face-painting and balloon artists as a family is special," Brown said. "Then, to take that experience a step further and enjoy the viewing of Cirque Dreams Holidaze is just a really special for our organization to make an impact on the lives of families in Detroit."
The Red Wings and Tigers have participated in the spirit of giving for years, as 2021 marks the eighth Hometown Holiday Assist and the second straight year both teams teamed up to make the holidays special for those in need.
Anthony Benavides, director of the Clark Park Coalition, said this year's Hometown Holiday Assist was about more than getting gifts.
"The families are just so grateful for the opportunity to come to the Fox Theatre and to come out here to enjoy the festivities that the Red Wings and Tigers have put on," Benavides said. "They're just happy to be here. To be locked up in our houses over the past year was difficult, so this is also a really nice opportunity to socialize and be with kids and their families."
Supported by donations from the Red Wings and Tigers organizations as well as current players and alumni, invited children also received a Meijer gift card for their families to purchase food and other necessities.
"We follow the Detroit Red Wings and the Tigers. At Clark Park, whether the kid is a hockey player or a baseball or softball player, they follow each sport and have attended games, so this means a lot to them," Benavides said. "And to be able to be here, we just want to thank both organizations and the Ilitch family for the opportunity."

The Red Wings will continue to make the holidays brighter for kids, as an additional donation of toys will be made to the Children's Hospital of Michigan with remaining funds from the program. The toys will be delivered to the hospital before the holidays.
And while the Hometown Holiday Assist has evolved amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown said its focus remains the same.
"As we navigate the pandemic, Hometown Holiday Assist has had to look different each year. So, we're lucky that this year, we're able to bring together families in a safe way," Brown said. "That is really what the holidays are all about. So, for the Red Wings and Tigers organizations, we're just proud to be able to offer these experiences and these lifelong memories for these families for now and for the future."