CLEVELAND — After spending the week in Philadelphia for a joint practice and preseason matchup with the Eagles, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett made Friday all about giving back as local children prepare to head back to school for a new school year. In his second annual Back-To-School event, Garrett supported 200 children with supplies and resources.
This year's event was held inside Cleveland Browns Stadium, with kids arriving to meet with Garrett and receive a backpack full of essentials like folders, pencils, clothing, hygiene products, snacks and other goodies.
Dylan Perez, a 10-year-old boy who received some of the school supplies from Garrett, said he was thrilled to be able to have help from a football player he enjoys watching regularly.
"We got shirts, hats and some other supplies, and we got a gift card," Dylan said. "It’s amazing because most families don’t have money for school supplies, so I’m grateful for that."
In addition to the supplies, the children received a voucher for a free back-to-school haircut, courtesy of the Gentlemen's Cave Luxury Barber Lounge.
"The better the kids look, the more attentive some of them are in school, so it’s very important going to school, looking good, feeling good, paying attention, ready for school — it’s exciting," said owner Lozell Siler.
Garrett partnered with a number of community programs like The United Way and Browns Give Back to make Friday's event happen. As he met with kids, he was joined by several teammates, including defensive tackle Tommy Togiai and rookie defensive end Isaiah McGuire.
Support also came from around the Cleveland community, as Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb came and spoke to the children and praised Garrett for his desire to give back.
"It just gives me so much pride as mayor to see Myles Garrett have a huge heart for Cleveland and a huge heart for Cleveland’s kids," Bibb said. "It's more than just a backpack filled with school supplies—it gives them motivation, it gives them hope and it gives them a broader sense of what their possibilities are as young people in our city."
The kids also got excited to meet with Cleveland rapper Doe Boy, who came to support Garrett and the event.
"Their smiles just made my whole day. Just seeing how happy they are, they really appreciate it," he said. "I feel like the city needs to see stuff like this...We need this, we need this. Cleveland, stand up."
Cleveland did, in fact, stand up on Friday, showing support for the next generation by helping to provide them with the resources they need to succeed in school and create promising futures for themselves. That was evidenced by the event's growth.
Last year, the event was held inside The United Way downtown. This year, the venue expanded to Cleveland Browns Stadium—and so did the hopes for the growth of Garrett's program.
"Let’s see if we can pack the stadium one day," Garrett said. "Continue to help this next generation thrive and do great things and have a better future."
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