Holiday Heroes: 49ers bring magic to hundreds of Bay Area kids at Oracle Park

49ers help deliver holiday magic to hundreds of kids at Holiday Heroes in SF

Star athletes and donors joined the Wender Weis Foundation for Children to give underserved kids a festive night of rides, gifts and rare up-close moments with top players.

SAN FRANCISCO - Oracle Park transformed into a winter wonderland Tuesday as Bay Area athletes helped bring holiday cheer to hundreds of children at the 16th annual Holiday Heroes event.

The celebration, hosted by the Wender Weis Foundation for Children, united San Francisco 49ers players, supporters and community organizations to kick off the season for hundreds of children and families. Donors sponsored about 400 children from 10 nonprofits, many from underserved communities. The evening featured carnival rides, face painting, s’mores and opportunities for kids to meet some of the region’s biggest sports stars.

Featured

article

List: Best Bay Area holiday light displays in 2025

Eager to find the best and brightest holiday displays the Bay has to offer? Look no further.

49ers bring holiday cheer

Kids decorated cookies with running back Christian McCaffrey, filled plush animals with defensive end Nick Bosa and tried to catch passes from wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Many left with coveted autographs. 

"Oh my god I just feel so lucky, so I got three signatures of Patrick Willis, Ricky Pearsall, Christian McCaffrey, which definitely made my day and I also got Bosa," said Jack Jansen of San Francisco.

McCaffrey said the event was just as meaningful for him. 

"It's awesome, it's such a great event, appreciate everyone having me out, it's always fun to hang out with kids, and have a good time," he said. 

"It feels amazing, to interact with kids like this and families, it feels special to me to be able to give back to the communities. It took a lot of people, a big village to get to where I'm at, so it feels really good to give back to communities like this," Pearsall said. 

Patrick Willis, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and former 49er, reflected on how support made an impact during his own childhood. 

"Growing up as I grew up with a single parent and we always have a whole lot of things that maybe we wanted or maybe absolutely needed at times, whether it was the programs at school or it was kind people, they lent a helping hand," he said. "So just to be able to be here tonight and be a part of this is truly amazing."

Holiday Heroes

Foundation president Amy Wender said the mission behind Holiday Heroes remains unchanged after 16 years. 

"That's really the reason I started the foundation was to bring underserved children together with sports heroes, so hopefully they'll be able to hear something in a way that maybe they can't hear from a parent, or teacher or a caregiver," she said.

Funds raised from the event will also help refurbish a baseball field in East Palo Alto by the end of 2026. Attendees from local nonprofits also received holiday gifts, with additional items distributed to those organizations.