Browns LG Joel Bitonio takes 40 Cleveland kids on holiday shopping spree at Meijer

AVON, Ohio — Cleveland Browns left guard Joel Bitonio left Sunday's game against the Bears with a back injury—but that didn't slow him down from giving back at his annual Shop with a Pro event on Tuesday.

Each year, Bitonio and his wife Courtney partner with Meijer to provide local children with gifts for the holiday season.

On Tuesday, Bitonio and Meijer invited 40 children from the City of Cleveland Recreation Center for a shopping spree at the Meijer located in Avon. The kids were each given a $150 gift card to spend however they wanted.

While still in some pain, Bitonio walked around the store with the kids, helping them load up their carts with things on their wish list.

"It's really special. This is our home. We love it here. We're raising our kids here, and to be able to help out the community is something really special to us," Bitonio said.

The event was started by Browns legend and Hall of Famer Joe Thomas and his wife Annie, with whom the Bitonios are very close. The torch was passed, and the Bitonio family now hosts the shopping spree yearly.

Bitonio was not alone in his efforts Tuesday. The offensive lineman was joined by several of his teammates, including center Nick Harris, lineman Michael Dunn, tight end Harrison Bryant, center Luke Wypler, and others.

The Browns players split up with groups of kids and helped them keep track of their totals and find the gifts they wanted.

Some kids loaded their carts with snacks and goodies, and others opted for toys. A few went to buy high-ticket items like Playstation games and accessories. A few even budgeted in some gifts for their family members, like one boy who bought his mom a set of earrings, or a girl who was hiding a gift for her brother under a stuffed animal she had picked for herself.

For Bitonio, seeing the kids in the community he has made home light up with joy as they roamed the store meant the world. Having his teammates there to help was the cherry on top.

"I think those guys come out here and it just shows that this community is special to us and we have a lot of linemen, tight ends, coming out here, but I think it's cool for the kids to see that too," Bitonio said. "They got to be out here with the Cleveland Brown football players, are going to go shopping with them and help them pick things out and hopefully it's a memory that will last a lifetime."