Joy to the City brought together thousands of families from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods from all over the City for an unforgettable holiday experience.
- Khayla DiGiorgio
- (925) 339-9471
- Khayla.DiGiorgio@asm.ca.gov
San Francisco - This weekend Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) hosted what he hopes will become an annual event – the first ever “Joy to the City” holiday celebration in partnership with Code Tenderloin and the Golden State Warriors. Joy to the City brought together thousands of families from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods from all over the City for an unforgettable holiday experience. With free family portraits, food and more, there were activities for guests of all ages. Attendees also had the opportunity to take home free grocery bags, toys, and books for the winter holidays. The event featured live performances from various groups with headliners P-Lo and Goapele.
San Francisco has a high concentration of poverty, with more than half of families identifying as low income or very low income in 2020, the highest rate in the Bay Area. Approximately 30% of San Francisco families experience food insecurity, a number that is rapidly growing as food costs continue to increase.
“We have so many people in the City who are struggling, and every family deserves to have happy holiday memories. That’s where the idea for Joy to the City came from - I wanted to make sure that every kid, every family, has the opportunity to make amazing memories together this holiday,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney. “We are giving away thousands of toys, hundreds of bags of groceries, and we have activities, food, and entertainment. I have been blown away by the response and the amount of support we received from the community, organizations, and companies who offered sponsorships to make this happen.”
Children were able to take home books provided by the San Francisco Public Library, as well as toys courtesy of Code Tenderloin’s annual holiday toy drive. Families lined up for professional portraits, food, and hot chocolate, all provided for free. Live performances from Bay Area legends Goapele and P-Lo kept attendees entertained and excited throughout the day. Other performers included Grammy Award winner Alphabet Rockers, GTC Band, the GLIDE choir, and Westbay Moms.
“Working in a neighborhood that consistently receives negative attention is challenging, but it is moments like this, events like Joy to the City, that inspire and motivate us,” expressed Donna Hilliard, Executive Director of Code Tenderloin, a San Francisco-based nonprofit. “Watching the kids pick out their favorite toys and the families taking beautiful family portraits was so heartwarming. We are proud to have partnered with Assemblymember Haney and the Warriors to be able to provide a free event like this in our community.”