One week ahead of the preorder date for the Philadelphia Eagles players’ highly-anticipated second Christmas album, the beneficiaries of this year’s project have been announced.
“A Philly Special Christmas Special,” starring offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson singing popular holiday tunes, will support initiatives from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center. CHOP will put its share of the proceeds toward its Snowflake Station, a pop-up toy store that allows caregivers of sick kids to select presents at no cost, while CCTC will spend its funding on its annual toy drive.
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CCTC received a portion of the proceeds raised from the album sales of the 2022 holiday hit “A Philly Special Christmas,” totaling $250,000. Cumulatively, the project raised $1.25 million and the players used the balance to fulfill the Donors Choose wishlists of 400 local teachers and contribute to 23 other Philadelphia charities. This will be CHOP’s first year as a beneficiary.
“When all the guys got together over the summer to make this record, they wanted to make sure we stayed true to the original goal to bring joy and happiness to families and kids during the holidays, and we couldn’t be happier to be partnering again with CCTC and helping make CHOP’s snowflake station a little more special for kids and families in the hospital during the holidays,” Conor Barwin, a former Eagles linebacker who is returning as the album’s executive producer, said in a statement.
CCTC says the funding from the album will help provide 1,000 kids with toys of their choosing over the holidays. The center, located in Fishtown, provides mental health services to children who have suffered neglect and abuse. With its proceeds, CHOP will expand its snowflake station to a primary care practice in West Philadelphia.
“A Philly Special Christmas Special” will have 11 tracks, including a Jason Kelce original called “Santa’s Night.” Philadelphia musicians including Amos Lee and members of Dr. Dog, Mewithoutyou, The War on Drugs and The Silver Ages Choir also lent their voices to the project — as did legendary songstress Patti LaBelle.
The $75 vinyl of the new album and $125 vinyl of both holiday albums will be available for preorder starting on Friday, Nov. 3. If last year is any indication, it’s likely to sell out in seconds.
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