Dodgers give away 5,000 backpacks for back to school
Dodger utility player Chris Taylor gives a hat to a young fan at Saturday’s backpack giveaway. (Photo by Alex Dominguez)
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers, in partnership with Jacoby & Meyers, helped Los Angeles Unified School District students start the school year off right as part of a three-day backpack giveaway event.
Over 2,000 pre-selected LAUSD students received Dodger backpacks, hats, and school supplies from the top deck of Chavez Ravine on Saturday. It was day two of the event, in which 5,000 backpacks were distributed overall.
“At Jacoby & Meyers, we believe in the power of education; it’s really the foundation for success,” said Michael Akiva, managing partner at Jacoby & Meyers. “Getting ready for the school year is really important. You have so many different factors that lead to a good school year; a good school, good teachers. But really a simple thing like a backpack can make the difference between being emotionally and physically ready for the year and being unprepared, and so for us, its that little thing that I think makes a big difference in the school year.”
Students also had the opportunity to meet many of their favorite “Boys in Blue,” including players Chris Taylor, Bobby Miller, Miguel Rojas, and third base coach Dino Ebel.
Taylor, Dodger utility player, said that it was “bigger than baseball.”
“I think any time you get to interact with your fans and meet them in person, and see their reactions, it puts things into perspective,” said Taylor. “That’s why we do this – to make an impact on those that look up to us, to be able to interact with them, and to see the smiles on their faces, it means a lot.”
Rookie pitcher Miller expressed enthusiasm about being part of the event.
“I’ve always seen [The Dodgers] always giving back to the community, always showing the community that they care, and that’s super important,” said Miller. “A lot of these kids look up to players like us, so showing just that we care is super important.”
Jacoby & Meyers is the official law firm of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
