The holidays are a reminder for us to be thankful for what we have and to give to others. In that spirit, Brooklyn Nets rookie center Jarrett Allen decided to give, while also teaching a very valuable life lesson to some middle schoolers.
Rather than just hand out turkeys or give the children a Thanksgiving meal, Allen gave the children $70 apiece and a Thanksgiving grocery list so he could teach them about shopping on a budget.
Allen stopped by the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York, on Monday to work with 25 middle schoolers from Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities Inc., according to Nets Daily. The kids were thrilled to meet Allen, so he got to know some of them and gave out Nets hats to his young fans before they hit the aisles.
The man himself !! @_bigjayy_ #Thanksgiving #Nets pic.twitter.com/dqJzYTU4RT
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
.@_bigjayy_ favorite #Thanksgiving food? Mac and cheese! #Nets pic.twitter.com/qS3xBD7KMC
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
.@_bigjayy_ giving away some dope looking #Nets hats to the kids. Winter starts in one month! @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/v5Ah2FYXdY
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 21, 2017
Who is happier to see who?@_bigjayy_ #Thanksgiving #ThanksgivingWeek #ForTheKids #Nets @NetsDaily @nbacares pic.twitter.com/K0r8tEgT5G
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 21, 2017
Once each child was stocked with $70 dollars and a grocery list, it was time to grab a cart. Even the Nets rookie jumped in on the activity, and he meant business. First stop? Collared greens.
.@_bigjayy_ pushing the shopping cart. He's not playing. Says he's getting greens first. #Thanksgiving #Nets @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/IaMCa6clij
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
.@_bigjayy_ penciled in collard greens so you know it's real. @NetsDaily #Nets #Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/qzYN9ZAej6
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
Can someone help @_bigjayy_ find the dinner rolls? #Nets #thanksgivingweek #Thanksgiving @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/RKqNxHdCA0
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
.@_bigjayy_ chose this as his mac and cheese: "I'm normally a white cheddar guy though," he says after. #Nets #ThanksgivingWeek @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/ZizzF8J8wa
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
.@_bigjayy_ is getting help with his #Thanksgiving shopping. #TrustTheProcess #Nets @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/dl1txbeTYX
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
Allen's goal for this activity? Give, while also helping the kids shop for a Thanksgiving meal and learn about budgeting.
One might think that offering an awesome budgeting activity to children would come from someone well versed in managing expenses over many years. Allen is just 19 years old. Even that fact came as a shock to the kids.
They can't believe @_bigjayy_ is 19 years old. #Nets @NetsDaily pic.twitter.com/r2NZ3Bc3p7
— Bryan Fonseca 📝🎙️ (@BryanFonsecaNY) November 20, 2017
Impressed? So are we.
In a day and age when much of society is looking to take, Allen offered an important lesson to his young fans and America's youth -- Thanksgiving is a time of giving. And sometimes, that gift may be something you can purchase, but many times that gift may be in the form of a valuable life lesson you can pass on.
