1995 was a terrible year for Los Angeles sports. It was around then that both the Raiders and the Rams turned coat and left the city. For 25 years, there was no rough stuff in the city. Five years after the game of football left the area, the city of champions suffered the most bitter unimaginable loss, when the Lakers moved downtown.
But when the Los Angeles Rams came back to town, they not only brought with them the Los Angeles Chargers, but they also brought a progressive philosophy, dedicated to environmental consideration and an unmistakable concern for the human condition. They have attracted legions of partners that share similar sentiments.
On game days the Rams present a 53-man roster of players, for the main event, but well behind the scenes stands a truly focused team of partners, volunteers, organizers and executives. They engage in planning, and directing a consistent flow of community service. This past week, as part of a 5-week “season of giving” community initiative, the Rams hosted a critically exigent event for our underserved neighbors.
The two day event began Monday December 4th when the Los Angeles Rams outreach team partnered with UNIFY Financial Credit Union and the Salvation Army of Southern California to host a well received holiday shopping spree. That actually sounds as good as it looked, as members of the Rams, cheerleaders, executive staff and football squad paired with one of 100 kids, raring to go shopping for 200 dollars in holiday gifts. But there’s more. Following the shopping Spree, everybody will be sitting down for a meal and then spending time joining the Nickelodeon ‘Let’s Draw’ activity’. I may just be a big old kid myself, because of the prospect of meeting Ram’s players, Davis Allen, Ethan Evans, Cory Durden, Warren Mcleddon, Kobie Turner, Tanner Ingle, JasonTaylor II, Te Tomlinson, Puka Nacua and Alex Ward.
The second day of the initiative on Tuesday is directed at the needs of the entire family. The Rams team up with two other dedicated partners to fulfill a very important mission. For the fourth consecutive year, the Pechanga Resort Casino and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Drive-Thru Distribution group comes together to provide meals for an expected 1000 families, arriving mostly by car. 60,000 meals will be distributed. According to Tatum Texada, LA Rams Corporate Communications, that should be enough to provide meals for six days.
I watched as families drove up, while volunteers loaded their vehicles with enough food for their entire household. Garret Shimko, communication manager for Pechanga and President of the Pechanga Development Corporation Ken Perez explained how Pechanga’s philanthropic process leads to their partnerships.
The operation was so well orchestrated that I wondered how such massive outreach can be organized and mobilized seemingly on the fly, since all of The principles arrive from such diverse locations. David May, with the LA Food Bank explained that the food comes from amazing donations from amazing sources. The food bank partners with other groups that identify a need, but this partnership at SoFi is made in heaven. They have the food, and through SoFi, the Rams have a huge parking lot – perfect for a massive drive-thru, and Pechanga has the resources and a large desire to provide for those in need.
Stay tuned wile Inglewood Today cultivates many more sources, with an eye towards community outreach.
