From left to right: Brooklyn, Knox, and Huey Hackett during an episode of The Talk
EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (June 17, 2024) – Just in time for Father’s Day 2024, 84 Lumber donated $20,000 to a single father of two children on Friday, June 14, 2024, in an episode of CBS The Talk, who also coaches a minority youth baseball team based out of Los Angeles, California.
“Being able to give back to the communities we serve is paramount to 84 Lumber’s values,” said 84 Lumber’s vice president of marketing, Amy Smiley. “We were more than happy to give back to Mr. Hackett after learning about his selfless dedication to kids in the greater Los Angeles area, all while raising his two children.”
Huey Hackett started the youth baseball team, the L.A. Crawfords – named after the Pittsburgh Negro League team, the Pittsburgh Crawfords – in 2020 and volunteers his time coaching them. Laid off during the pandemic, Hackett said he came up with the idea of playing baseball with the neighborhood kids after wanting to help them emotionally and physically maneuver those unprecedented times. The L.A. Crawfords have grown to four teams with more than 80 kids ages 7-12 in the organization.
“I dedicate my time to these kids,” said Hackett. “A lot of these kids come from single family homes, and they become my kids, too. I always step up to the plate to be a ‘dad’ to them because I want them to have a father figure.”
During the June 14 episode, Hackett was surprised with the donation by 84 Lumber. The donation made to Hackett and the L.A. Crawfords will assist with costs associated with the team’s operations, such as new cleats and uniforms, hitting nets, and more. CBS The Talk also surprised Hackett and his children – Brooklyn, 14, and Knox, 9 – with a much-deserved 8-day trip to Nickelodeon’s Riviera Maya hotel & resort.
To watch the donation on CBS The Talk, click here.
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About 84 Lumber
Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation's largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings. The company operates 320 facilities, which includes stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, and engineered wood product centers in 33 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber was named as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek, and one of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2023 by Forbes. The company also made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2023. For more information, visit 84lumber.com and join us at Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.