Browns safety Rodney McLeod and offensive lineman Joel Bitonio ensured that families in the Cleveland community received gifts and necessities this holiday season through their annual events, in partnership with Meijer.
McLeod, through his foundation Change Our Futures, hosted his 'Fill-a-Cart' event on Dec. 18, where he provided 20 Northeast Ohio families with $500 each for a shopping spree at Meijer. He was joined by cornerback Greg Newsome II and several Browns staff members who assisted families in their shopping.
"You never know what an individual is going through or what a family is dealing with during this time of giving and thanks, and so I think our message for a lot of families today was to never give up hope," McLeod stated, speaking on the importance of the event.
The following night on Dec. 19, Bitonio hosted his 'Shop with a Pro' event at Meijer, where he invited 40 children from the City of Cleveland Recreation Centers to shop for holiday gifts. Several of Bitonio's teammates were in attendance helping children shop and providing a memorable experience around the holidays. Offensive linemen Luke Wypler, Nick Harris, Michael Dunn, Ethan Pocic, Joey Fisher and tight end Harrison Bryant joined Bitonio for his event.
"It's important for us to be here because we're a part of this community, we're raising kids here. We've been here for ten years now, and it's really special to us, so we wanted to give back a little bit and help these kids enjoy the holidays, as well," Bitonio said of his annual event.
McLeod, Bitonio and several of their teammates embodied the spirit of the Browns "Month of Giving" this year. You can learn more on what Browns players and staff have been up to this month here.
