'Merch Madness': Fanatics donates hats, shirts to hundreds of Harlem students
HARLEM - Hundreds of students from the Frederick Douglass Academy were joined by students from the Eagle Academy for a last day of school unlike any other – a Merch Madness giveaways of hats, shirts and bags.
The giveaway was thanks to Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, who enlisted A-list athletes and entertainers to give out the merchandise.
"Definitely going to shout out New York, but I’m actually going to be in a few states today," Lil Baby said. "Three, four states doing the same thing, and it’s always great to be able to give back to the kids."
Harlem was just one of the locations across the United States where the Fanatics giveaways took place, handing out around $20 million of merchandise to over 100,000 children.
A$AP Ferg, who's from Harlem, was thrilled.
"I actually got family members that go here, so it’s just like a full-circle moment for me, and it’s always good to hang out in the neighborhood," A$AP Ferg said.
"For motivational purposes, only right here and for all the kids that did well in school, even if you didn’t but trying to do good, we’re here for you today," fan favorite Meek Mill said.
New York Giants Super Bowl champion Eli Manning and NBA Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell loved the reaction from the kids.
"It’s a special day being here for Fanatics, their Merch Madness and just to see the smiles on the kids' faces as they walked through the line," Manning said. "They got some great merchandise."
"It means the world, obviously we’re giving back here, but to be able to give our time, show face at school, I think that’s what really means the most," Mitchell said.
The students loved all of it, Jean Carlos Rodriguez said, who just graduated from the Eagle Academy – "To be able to see these people in person it’s great, to be able to look up to them."
It was one of 200 locations around the country that Fanatics organized to give away merchandise in underserved communities.
For the kids, it’s a day they’ll never forget.