Lynx players surprised youth with a back-to-school shopping event, including special gifts from Odele and LOLA

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx, in partnership with Target and Sabathani Community Center, hosted 13 youths today for a back-to-school shopping event at Target’s flagship store in downtown Minneapolis. The event highlighted the importance of community connection, school readiness and the annual joy of back-to-school shopping.

Lynx game day emcee, B-Dot and Prowl tipped-off the event, calling each youth’s name and pairing them with a Lynx player. Each participant was provided a $1,000 Target gift card, courtesy of Target and the Lynx, along with a custom jersey and personalized shopping cart for their afternoon of back-to-school shopping. Lynx partners, Odele and LOLA added to the special day with surprises, including Odele hair care and LOLA feminine care products.

“The majority of the households we have supported within the last year have had an income lower than $15,000 a year/$1250 a month. Very basic schools supplies such as pencils, crayons, and notebooks, will cost at least a tenth of that,” said Kelina Morgan, Vice President of Housing Services, Sabathani Community Center. “The need for clothes and shoes, and the need to pay for rent and housing needs, schools supplies can be unaffordable. Events like these are so important and impactful for the families we serve. Most importantly, it allows the child to pick the things they want and like, not just what they need, which gives them more confidence as they go to school. Confidence is so vital, and an event like this helps to support their confidence not only in their appearance, but because they have all of the tools they need to have a successful year.”

“We are so grateful to continue to partner with the Lynx and support community led efforts that truly make difference. Helping to cover what’s needed – via personal care – to empower these kids to focus on the school year ahead is our privilege. We applaud the Lynx for their continued community outreach and their tireless work and dedication—both on and off the court,” stated Lindsay Holden, Co-founder, Odele.

“Our partnership with the Minnesota Lynx is rooted in advancing health equity and normalizing access to period care in professional sports. Today’s back-to-school event with the Lynx, Target, and Sabathani Community Center allowed us to extend that same mission to young students in the Minneapolis community. By providing First Period Kits and essential hygiene products, we hope to help remove a barrier that too often stands in the way of confidence, participation, and belonging—whether on the court or in the classroom,” said Kelly Murphy, General Manager of LOLA.

“Today was a powerful example of community partnership in action,” said Timberwolves and Lynx Chief Impact Officer Jennifer Ridgeway. “We’re grateful to Sabathani Community Center, Target, Odele, and LOLA for making this back-to-school shopping experience so meaningful for local families.”

Minnesota’s next game is on Saturday, Aug. 16 vs. the New York Liberty with tipoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT. Tickets are available at www.lynxbasketball.com/tickets.

About Sabathani Community Center

Sabathani Community Center is one of Minnesota’s oldest African American-founded nonprofits. We annually help more than 59,000 South Minneapolis residents tackle barriers in their lives and move from surviving to thriving. As a multi-service organization, we deliver a comprehensive range of community-oriented, culturally tailored services and programming in an environment of dignity and respect.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at nearly 2,000 stores and at Target.com, with the purpose of helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its profit to communities, which today equals millions of dollars a week. Additional company information can be found by visiting the corporate website and press center.

About Odele

Odele is a clean beauty brand for you + your people. Developed by hair type and texture, our products are vegan, dermatologist-tested, pediatrician-tested and formulated to be free from 1,800+ questionable ingredients, with a gender-neutral, 100% natural fragrance. 

About LOLA

Grounded in advocacy for women’s health and safety, LOLA offers clean, organic period care and reproductive wellness products to help women and menstruators feel comfortable and in control from puberty through menopause and beyond, while prioritizing customer education. For more information on LOLA, visit mylola.com and follow LOLA on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

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