Samuel, his little brother Luke, and his parents spent a week in San Diego, exploring the city's top attractions with Orbit, the Foundation's beloved teddy bear mascot. The highlights of their trip included:
- Hospital Surprise: The trip started with a visit to UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. Samuel and his family joined the Unleashed Brands Foundation team and LLS to distribute over 5,000 pairs of grip-socks and teddy bears to children battling cancer. The give-back is part of Samuel's mission to honor a close friend who lost his battle with cancer and had a dream to collect grip socks. Orbit and his teddy bear friends are symbols of hope and comfort to the children at the hospital. The stuffed animals are also part of the Foundation's newest program where Unleashed Brands community members build bear kits to distribute to children's hospitals nationwide.
- 1-1 with the Padres: When the Unleashed Brands Foundation team was introduced to Samuel through LLS, they learned of his passion for baseball and his dream of visiting every MLB stadium. The Foundation connected with the San Diego Padres to make Samuel's first official MLB stadium visit unforgettable. The family enjoyed an exclusive experience at the Padres vs. Marlins game, including a private batting practice session, playing catch with Padres team members, and collecting autographed memorabilia.
- Visiting San Diego's Finest: The week concluded with visits to iconic San Diego attractions, including the USS Midway, San Diego Zoo, Little Italy, Legoland, and SeaWorld. Samuel and Orbit's adventures were shared on the Foundation's Instagram page, capturing the joy and excitement of their journey.
"I am incredibly proud of what Unleashed Brands Foundation achieved in partnership with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the San Diego Padres. Providing Samuel and his family with an unforgettable vacation was a testament to our collective efforts and a deeply moving experience for everyone involved," said Whitney Navarro, Managing Director at Unleashed Brands Foundation. "Seeing Samuel bring smiles and joy to everyone he met throughout the trip was truly inspiring. It was important for us to offer this experience to give Samuel and his family a much-needed break from their challenges and create lasting memories of happiness and togetherness."
"Samuel has such a big heart; he loves baseball and has a goal to go to every Major League Baseball stadium and collect a hat from every team, and his birthday just happens to be in June!" shared an LLS Spokesperson. "Once we learned this, we immediately contacted our incredible partners at Unleashed Brands Foundation, which got Samuel one stadium closer to his goal and created an unforgettable experience for him and his entire family. We are so grateful to Unleashed Brands Foundation for their generosity and for shining light on a family impacted by the darkness of blood cancer."
For more information about Samuel's incredible vacation and Unleashed Brands Foundation, visit https://investinkids.org/.
About the Unleashed Brands Foundation
Established in 2023, Unleashed Brands Foundation aims to empower at-risk youth and provides them with the resources needed to successfully transition to adulthood through education, financial support, and in-person volunteerism. Having supported youth and youth-focused charities since 2011, Unleashed Brands remains invested in helping kids learn, play and grow and achieve greatness. To learn more about Unleashed Brands Foundation's work and how it transforms lives, please visit InvestInKids.org.
About Unleashed Brands
Unleashed Brands currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts and Sylvan Learning and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable franchise brands that help kids learn, play, and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging, and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit UnleashedBrands.com.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS)
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
For additional information, visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Media Contact: Camille Douglas, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or (248) 841-0937
SOURCE Unleashed Brands
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