BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs teamed up with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown for Stefon’s inaugural Back to School backpack giveaway.
It was held on Jefferson Avenue in the parking lot of Tops, where 10 people were killed and three more wounded during a May 14 mass shooting.
Diggs wanted to serve the children in the 14208 zip code.
Three-hundred Jordan brand backpacks, NIKE gift certificates, and other items were given away. Diggs said the crowd was larger than expected.
Instead of 300 people, the crowd there was estimated to be about 600. Not everyone was able to get a backpack or gift certificate, and more giveaways are planned in the area.
When asked about coming back to the scene to giveback, Diggs told 2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing: "I feel at home with my people, I feel safe, I don't have no issues. I told them I don't need no policer officers, none of that, because when you're giving back and doing it the right way, you shouldn't have no problems."
Diggs could look in the eyes of some of the young boys and see himself as a kid in an inner city.
"Coming back and bringing that love full circle is always more impactful. I call it the inner city," he said, adding: "It's my people here, it's Nlack people here, so I want them to see me. I want to be visible. Touch me. Take pictures with me. Let them know I'm here for them. I'm not all the way out in Orchard Park all the time."
He added: "I like scoring touchdowns and making plays, but I'm human, and I'm out here trying to make a difference, and I use my platform in the most effective way possible, and that's helping people."