One of the things that makes this time of year so special is the act of giving.
Alex Cox and his friend Alan Smith started OakLuv Foundation on a whim 9 years ago. It was Christmas day and they wanted to give back, so what did they do? Alex dressed up as Santa Claus and Alan as ‘Chaz the Elf’ to give toys to people who needed it. This sparked something inside both of them and they knew that that had to become a long-standing tradition. Find out more about OakLuv on today’s episode!
Tweet ThisKey Takeaways:
[4:45] How did OakLuv first get started? [8:00] Christmas Day 2009 changed Alex’s life forever. [12:00] Alex calls himself ‘Knucklehead Santa’ and tells kids he’s not the real Santa, but is related to him. [16:30] One child receiving the gifts asked if Alex was ‘hella rich’ because of Alex’s giving nature. [19:40] Alex has been receiving donations left and right. He and his team of elves are able to give back to the community on a completely different level than when they first started this 9 years ago. [22:20] Why are people so attracted to what Alex and his team are doing? [28:00] Pandora is one of their donors and they allow for Alex and his team to do what they’re good at with no ‘corporate’ limits. [31:55] Alex shares the story about creating a pinata the size of a minivan that’s filled with toys. [38:45] Do you believe in Santa Claus? [41:10] How does OakLuv make a difference in Alex’s life? [47:35] Since Alex is going into more dangerous areas in Oakland, has Alex and his team had any close calls?Mentioned in This Episode:
