The Philly Specials—Jason, Lane, and Jordan—are excited to announce their global partners, including retailers and toy companies, who have donated 200,000 age-appropriate toys, apparel, cosmetics, and more to help achieve Operation Snowball. Operation Snowball is their ambitious goal of delivering a gift to every student in the School District of Philadelphia this December, in collaboration with The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia.
With the release of their third and final holiday album, A Philly Special Christmas Party (Vera Y Records), currently at #2 on Billboard’s Holiday Charts, the players decided to do something never before done for Philadelphia’s public school students—truly embracing the spirit and magic of the season. All proceeds from album sales support this citywide initiative, as well as direct donations to The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia.
The initial idea for Operation Snowball was sparked by Jason Kelce, who wanted to match the indomitable spirit of the City of Philadelphia by doing something BIG that would reach an unprecedented number of young people. When children’s entertainment company Spin Master generously donated close to $1 million worth of toys to get the initiative (and “snowball”) rolling, Operation Snowball was born. Spin Master is best known for its innovation in toys and games, including award-winning brands like PAW Patrol™, Hatchimals™, and Rubik’s Cube™.
In addition to Spin Master, The Philly Specials are teaming up with the following global partners, toy companies, and non-profits to bring Operation Snowball to life:
- Just Play: A leading global toy manufacturer that delivers play for kids of all ages—from the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award Finalist furReal Peanut the Playful Monkey to the magical “phygital” toy HOLOBRITE—along with many other best-selling toys representing the world’s best entertainment brands.
- Fanatics: A leading global digital sports platform that created exclusive merchandise for Operation Snowball.
- Jazwares: Makers of Squishmallows, Bumbumz, and more.
- QVC: A world leader in live, shoppable entertainment that made a financial donation to support this initiative.
- Tarte Cosmetics: Celebrating 25 years of female-founded, cruelty-free beauty infused with good-for-you ingredients and kindness.
- The Toy Foundation: A nonprofit organization that unites the toy industry’s donations to bring the power and comfort of play to children in need. It works with World Vision to distribute toys globally.
- Amazon Wondery / Amazon Local Good: Operation Snowball’s delivery and logistics partner, managing the distribution of toys.
- WildBrain: A global leader in kids’ and family entertainment that created the animated video for “It’s Christmas Time (in Cleveland Heights)” featuring Jason and Travis Kelce and Boyz II Men, which premiered on December 6.
- Five Below: A leading high-growth value retailer offering trend-right, high-quality products loved by tweens, teens, and beyond.
- Wawa: The beloved Philadelphia convenience store donated coupons for hot chocolate to gift to every student.
- Shipmate Fulfillment and Zippy Shell: Offering additional delivery, shipping, and logistics support to help execute Operation Snowball.
“We are grateful for the generosity of Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata, in coordination with The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, for launching Operation Snowball,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “This ambitious effort will help bring joy—one of our core values in our five-year strategic plan, Accelerate Philly—to students across Philadelphia this holiday season, thanks in part to sales of the third holiday album, A Philly Special Christmas Party.”
“When I first came to Philadelphia, it was apparent how much pride, joy, and a sense of community and family this city exudes,” says Jason Kelce. “It’s the City of Brotherly Love, and this city has supported this initiative over the past two years. We’ve done two Christmas albums, and because of your support, we’ve raised over four million dollars and given to over fifty charitable organizations. This year, we’re trying to go even bigger—trying to give a gift to every kid in Philly’s public schools this holiday season. If that’s not the holiday spirit, I don’t know what is. That’s the Philadelphia spirit that I’ve come to know, love, and appreciate.”
“Operation Snowball is an incredible undertaking that reminds us who matters most in our fight for, and investments in, public education: our children,” says Kathryn Epps, President and CEO of The Fund for the School District. “As the only nonprofit organization charged with aligning philanthropic dollars with district priorities to spur student achievement, The Fund is proud to partner on this opportunity to celebrate our children and reward them for their hard work and dedication this school year. We thank The Philly Specials and former Eagle and album executive producer, Connor Barwin, for their generous support of our students.”
Listen to A Philly Special Christmas Party Here.
“Santa Drives An Astrovan,” the album’s third single, has reached #1 on the iTunes Holiday Charts and is accompanied by a music video shot before a live audience at Lincoln Financial Field. The first two singles from A Philly Special Christmas Party include the iTunes #1 holiday chart-topping duet by Kelce and Stevie Nicks, “Maybe This Christmas,” and the #7-ranked collaboration “It’s Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights)” by Jason, Travis, and Boyz II Men. The music video for “Loud Little Town,” featuring Jason and Kylie Kelce, was released on YouTube the night before Thanksgiving.
A Philly Special Christmas Special raised over $3 million, and its singles “This Christmas,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Fairytale of Philadelphia,” and “Pretty Paper” have garnered over 10 million streams across platforms. “Fairytale of Philadelphia” reached #1 on iTunes, and 50,000 copies have been sold on vinyl. The stop-motion special created by unPOP Animation, A Philly Special Christmas Special, has been viewed over 700,000 times, with 10,000 live viewers tuning in for its Thanksgiving night premiere. Its predecessor in 2022, A Philly Special Christmas, immediately sold out its limited pressing. That record reached four top-ten spots on various Billboard Music Charts, including #1 on the Compilation Albums Chart.
A Philly Special Christmas donated over $1 million to local charities, including the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center, and fulfilled the wish lists of Philadelphia School District teachers via DonorsChoose.
As the only fundraising organization with a direct understanding of the needs of students and families in Philadelphia’s traditional public schools, The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia works to ensure that an excellent public education is within reach of every child. By aligning philanthropic and private-sector dollars with district priorities to advance academic achievement, The Fund helps transform students’ lives. To learn more, visit thefundsdp.org.
