The UCSB men’s and women’s basketball teams will provide 50 local underprivileged children with “Holiday SWishes and Baskets of Fun” shopping sprees as part of the “Gauchos Give” community outreach program.
Working with the Page Youth Center and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara and Goleta, the teams will identify 50 children who will be given $100 shopping sprees at Kmart in Goleta. On Monday, the youths who have been selected will be accompanied by Gaucho basketball players as they spend their money.
“This is a great opportunity for our basketball programs to give back to a community that gives so much to us,” UCSB men’s coach Bob Williams said. “Anytime we have the chance to positively affect the lives of kids, we need to.”
In addition to the $100 shopping sprees, each child and their families will be offered tickets to the Jan. 2 women’s basketball game against Long Beach State and the Jan. 10 men’s basketball game against Cal State Fullerton.
Bill Mahoney is a UCSB assistant director of athletics communications.