Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah have been stars on and off the court all season, and as the playoffs begin, the NBA is giving fans a way to recognize them for their incredible community contributions. Gasol and Noah are among the 10 player finalists for the 2014-15 NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, and the winner will be determined in part by a fan vote. So please show your support for these two big men with big hearts by voting on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #NBACommunityAssist and #PauGasol and/or #JoakimNoah. There are no limits to the number of times you can vote!
Why should you vote for Gasol and Noah?
Gasol made an immediate impact upon arriving in Chicago last fall, intent to continue giving back to his community with a focus on children’s health and well-being. Gasol has made numerous visits to Lurie Children’s Hospital to spend time with patients and their families. Last month, he devoted an evening at the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. He has also continued with his work as a Hoops for St. Jude ambassador. Gasol and his brother, Marc, are also actively committed to their charitable organization, the Gasol Foundation, which empowers young people to live healthier lives. At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, the Gasol Foundation launched Vida!, a health and wellness enrichment program, with the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. Gasol has remained active in the program from Chicago by skyping into events and visiting during road games in Los Angeles.
Noah has actively committed himself to taking a stand against violence through his work with the Bulls and his Noah’s Arc Foundation. His “Rock Your Drop: The Drop of Consciousness” movement supports those impacted by violence and encourages creative outlets for youth and young adults in the form of self-expression through sport and art. Noah and his foundation also produced an anti-violence video, “You’re Not Alone” and a public service announcement, “ChicagoStandUp”. He has further demonstrated his commitment through his ongoing participation with Youth Guidance’s B.A.M. (Becoming A Man) initiative. Noah and his foundation also work regularly with Major Adams Community Committee, which is located just a few blocks from the United Center and dedicates itself to mentoring and teaching at-risk students.
Noah was selected in February as one of the league’s seven monthly Community Assist winners during the season, while Gasol is among three additional players chosen by the NBA for the season-long award.
How do you vote for Gasol and Noah?
From now through Monday, April 27, there are three ways to cast votes and there is no limit on how many times you can vote. So vote early and vote often!
- On Twitter, tweet using #NBACommunityAssist and #PauGasol and/or #JoakimNoah. Retweets count as votes!
- On Facebook, comment on a post from a league affiliated account (Chicago Bulls, NBA or NBA Cares) using #NBACommunityAssist #PauGasol and/or #JoakimNoah.
- On Instagram, post a photo using #NBACommunityAssist and #PauGasol and/or #JoakimNoah in the description. Two important notes: Only unique posts will be included in the vote and commenting on a post using the hashtags does not qualify as a vote.