Some 300 Montrealers received an early holiday present on Saturday – a brand new winter jacket, courtesy of an NBA player and his family. It's a gesture rooted in community spirit. Basketball player Bennedict Mathurin and his family gifted winter coats to residents of Montreal North. While the NBA player couldn't be at the event, his sister, Jennifer Mathurin, said it's all about helping the community. "Growing up here, we used to be part of the community and be people going in and getting resources when we didn't have any, so we just wanted to do the same and give back," she said. Some 260 residents aged as young as two years old got their new coats. They’re all members of Directions For All, a non-profit organization that supports Montreal North residents. It’s a neighborhood where the need is strong, said Direction For All’s Isabelle Laporte. "It's something that answers the needs in the community – the organizations usually scramble together to try to find a way to answer those needs," she said. Nathalie Fanfan, a mother in the area, said the gift goes a long way. "I’m so happy," she told CTV News. "These jackets will help me save money that I can use towards other expenses." Beyond the coats, attendees received a priceless gift: inspiration. While Bennedict Mathurin is in his third season with the national basketball league, his journey began in the diverse Montreal neighbourhood. Before scoring big with the Indiana Pacers, the NBA player would shoot hoops at the Henri-Bourassa basketball court. It doesn’t matter where you're from, said Jennifer, and the diversity is what makes the community so wonderful. "We kind of all share our own identity, and separate identities at the same time," she said. As attendees left the event feeling warm in their new coats, so did their hearts.
