ATLANTA, GA (August 11, 2003) -- The Atlanta Hawks donated over $800,000 in cash, goods, services and tickets to various charitable organizations and initiatives during the 2002-03 season the club announced on Monday. Through the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and thanks to sponsor contributions, fundraisers, auctions and raffles, the team was able to help over 350 different local and national initiatives with charitable donations.

Some beneficiaries of the Hawks’ generosity include: Atlanta Community Food Bank, metro Atlanta Boys & Girls Clubs, the Shepherd Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Atlanta-area public school systems, The American Red Cross and the USO (United Service Organizations) Care Package Program.

“Sixteen years ago, the Atlanta Hawks created the Hawks Foundation, one of the first NBA teams to formally do so, in order to better serve the greater metropolitan Atlanta community. It is through the countless hours donated by our coaches, players and front office, most of which goes unnoticed and unrecognized, combined with the generosity of our sponsors, that we were so successful in our civic endeavors,” said team President Stan Kasten.

Highlights from this past season’s community efforts included the opening of the Adams Park Reading and Learning Center. In an effort to provide children access to reading materials and technology, the Hawks assist with renovations, as well as donate computers, books and other collateral materials, while players and staff make regular appearances to speak about the importance of literacy. The newest of the Hawks’ seven Reading and Learning Centers is located at 1620 Delowe Drive in Atlanta.

Additionally, the Hawks made over 100 appearances in local schools in support of the Read to Achieve program, which is the NBA’s central community outreach effort designed to promote the value of reading and online literacy and to encourage adults to read regularly with young people. In addition to the creation of Reading & Learning Centers, the Hawks RTA program has various other components including the formation of a local “All-Star Reading Team,” consisting of Hawks players and officials as well as local celebrities, hosting Reading Timeouts with children and visiting elementary schools as part of the “Fast Break for Reading” initiative.

The Hawks Foundation also renovated its third basketball court as a part of an ongoing commitment to honor former Director of Scouting Gary Wortman. This past season the renovated court at Parks Middle School was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Head Coach Terry Stotts and Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins.

Two of the biggest fundraising efforts put on by the Hawks are the Full Court Fest charity gala and the Atlanta Hawks Foundation Golf Classic. Full Court Fest is the annual Spring fundraiser, which invites fans to sport black ties and sneakers while they wine, dine and play a variety of games, such as blackjack, air hockey and ping-pong with Hawks players, coaches and other celebrities. The event raised over $50,000 for the AFLAC Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the foundation last year.

The 2003 Atlanta Hawks Foundation Golf Classic is slated for Monday, September 29 at Bear’s Best in Suwanee. Last year’s event raised $90,000 to help support the foundation’s numerous charitable efforts. Visit www.hawks.com or call 404-827-3900 for more information.

Major sponsors of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and its programs include Philips Electronics, Anheuser-Busch, Delta Air Lines, Sprite, T-Mobile, UPS, WebMD and Outback Steakhouse. “It is only through the generosity of our sponsors that we are able to put on the programs and make the contributions back to the community. We are blessed to be aligned with companies that share our vision of giving back to the community in which we live,” said Lee Douglas, Executive Vice President.

The Atlanta Hawks Foundation is dedicated to the betterment of Atlanta’s youth; to enhance their quality of life and encourage them to strive to reach attainable goals. More information about all of the Hawks charitable efforts is available at www.hawks.com and the soon to be published 2003-04 Atlanta Hawks media guide.

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