Community-led initiative delivers hope, healing, and Christmas joy to families, children, teachers, first responders, and those in recovery across the country

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 23, 2025) –

What started with a simple idea rooted in community has grown into a nationwide movement of generosity this holiday season.

Through its first-ever SS Giving Tree, Southern String Hat Co. mobilized its nationwide community — known as The Crew — to deliver meaningful, local impact in states across the country, supporting causes ranging from fatherless youth and women in recovery to teachers, children in need, first responders, and community nonprofits. 

The SS Giving Tree is Southern String Hat Co.’s holiday give-back initiative designed to encourage direct, grassroots giving. One cause was selected per state through an open nomination process, with more than 1,500 submissions reviewed by the Southern String team. Crew Chiefs — one per state — were chosen based on community need, involvement, and the ability to lead local efforts where help was needed most.

Rather than focusing on a single national charity, the SS Giving Tree empowered local leaders to support organizations already doing vital work on the ground — ensuring donations went directly to people and communities they serve.

Across the country, the initiative supported:

• Fatherless boys through Christ-centered outdoor mentorship programs
• Women in residential addiction recovery, many without family or financial support
• Teachers and underserved students through classroom supply initiatives
• Children and military families through large-scale toy drives delivered by train and fire truck
• Local churches, nonprofits, and community organizations meeting immediate needs during the holidays

In Louisiana, Southern String partnered with Truth In Nature, providing Christmas gifts to fatherless boys and their families while supporting a ministry that serves more than 350 boys across 13 states.

In New York, the brand supported Operation Toy Train, contributing toys alongside firefighters and volunteers who helped deliver nearly 12,000 toys locally, as part of an organization-wide total of 65,000 toys collected for children in need.

In Arkansas, Southern String supported Daughters of Hope and Transformation, a Christ-centered residential recovery ministry for women, providing holiday gifts for participants and their families — many of whom enter the program with no financial support.

Additional SS Giving Tree efforts spanned states including South Carolina, Virginia, Idaho, and beyond, with initiatives supporting teachers’ supply closets, angel tree programs, child advocacy centers, and community nonprofits nationwide.

“This wasn’t about checking a box or running a campaign,”said Austin ‘Richii’ Richardson, co-founder of Southern String Hat Co. “This was about showing up — for kids, for families, for people who needed to know someone cared. Our community led this, and the impact speaks for itself.”

Founders Richardson and Kevin Landry, along with members of the Southern String team, personally visited select states during the holidays to help deliver donations — reinforcing the brand’s belief that real connection and presence matter just as much as giving.

“Our Crew is built on grit, loyalty, and community,”Richardson added. “The SS Giving Tree turned the holiday season into something real — something that changed lives.”

Since its launch, the SS Giving Tree has already seen dozens of state wishlists completed, with communities coming together in record time to meet urgent needs. The initiative builds on Southern String’s long-standing commitment to philanthropy, including raising more than $70,000 in 24 hours for hurricane relief in 2024.

As Southern String Hat Co. continues to grow, the brand remains focused on keeping community at the center — proving that impact doesn’t have to be complicated, just intentional.

For more information on the SS Giving Tree and to view the full list of participating causes, visit southernstringhats.com. 

About Southern String: 
Southern String Hat Co. is the fastest-growing hat brand in the country, launched from the seat of an excavator in 2023 and now shipping custom-designed mystery hats to a nationwide Crew that sells them out every month. Each monthly drop includes exclusive gear, seasonal favorites, and surprise items like branded golf balls, lighters, belt buckles and more. Our drops sell out in minutes, and once you’re in the Crew, you’re locked in for good-no rejoining. Loyalty runs deep, and the waitlist stays maxed out. Built on community and grit, SSHC Crew members raised over $70,000 in 24 hours for hurricane relief in Charlotte, NC in 2024. We’ve also partnered with some of country music’s fastest-rising stars: Gavin Adcock, Chris Lane, Parker McCollum and Tucker Wetmore – for exclusive, tour-only hat drops that fans can only snag on the road. Our gear has shown up on artists like Bailey Zimmerman, Fox N Vead, Kidd G, Chase Matthew and more.

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Media Contact:Chasity Todd | 843.591.6943 | ctodd@whirlwind-creative.com