Carolina Hurricanes Star Jaccob Slavin delights Raleigh kids with back-to-school bash

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One of the Carolina Hurricanes’ biggest stars spent the day helping
thousands of kids skate into a new school year.

On Saturday, the ‘Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin joined thousands
of kids and their families outside Raleigh’s New Hope Baptist Church for a good
cause.

“This event itself is special just because it’s serving the
community,” Slavin said.

Thousands of kids getting a leg up on the new school year
with items like rulers, notebooks, and a pencil case.

Slavin partnered with the Christian non-profit the Raleigh
Dream Center for the event, handing out backpacks stuffed to the brim with
everything these kids need for a new school year. 

“You know for us we see the value where kids feel a sense of
joy when they get that backpack,” said Raleigh Dream Center Co-founder Jeremy
Porras. “You know, not everybody goes to school with new clothes, new backpack,
and sometimes people feel like they’re a step behind their friends or their
other students in school.”

And there were more than backpacks at this back-to-school
bash. 

The Dream Center and Slavin supplied a mini carnival,
complete with rides, face painting and more.

“To see the true joy that they have just from getting a
little school supply is amazing,” Slavin said. “But again, it’s the joy of the
Lord is what we hope they have at the end of the day.”

In total, Slavin and the Dream Center supplied 3,000
backpacks to these families. 

The Raleigh Dream Center was founded back in 2014, and their
work goes well beyond backpack giveaways.

The organization also provide everything from addiction
recovery programs to human trafficking safe houses.