Student Athletes Stop Competing To Gather Thousands Of Toys With Chance the Rapper

They’re competitors on the field, and teammates off the field in the game of life.

Student athletes from Chicago-area high schools rallied together over the past 30 days to collect more than 10,000 children’s toys and make homemade cards for thousands of children.

The massive effort was a part of the Making A Difference On AND Off The Field campaign presented by Buddy’s HELPERS and the PepsiCo Showdown.

“Just like all the professional franchises here in Chicago, it’s really important to all the players in the PepsiCo Showdown to give back to our communities and enhance the lives of others.”  – Student Athlete Madison Ekern 

“The PepsiCo Showdown might be the largest high school soccer tournament in the U.S., but it’s much more than just a high school soccer tournament,” student athlete Madison Ekern said. “We all take great pride working together off the field through Buddy’s HELPERS to make a difference.”
In a moving moment, more than 100 of those student athletes loaded the 10,000 children’s toys on a large Pepsi semitruck and made a surprise delivery to Chance The Rapper and his charity, SocialWorks.
They also presented a $2,500 check to Chance The Rapper, who is distributing the toys to children from low-income families throughout the Chicagoland area this holiday season.
Some of those toys were a part of Chance The Rapper’s big event at the Field Museum in Chicago.
“A Night at the Museum” was presented by SocialWorks to showcase the nature of giving, unity and thoughtfulness that this time of the year should exhibit.