The “ALL IN” spirit of the 2015 Cavaliers NBA Playoffs was embraced by the team, fans and community alike in Cleveland and across the region. On Thursday, a reflection of that special community spirit was announced as over $260,000 in total was donated to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Shoes and Clothes for Kids organizations, as a result of the Cavs Finals Watch Parties at The Q! In addition, the Cavaliers Youth Fund (CYF) has made other grants totaling more than $100,000 to several other deserving local charities.
Shoes and Clothes for Kids and Greater Cleveland Food Bank each received over $130,000 apiece, as tickets for the three NBA Finals road game watch parties at The Q, presented by Bud Light, were $5 each, with 100% of the funds going to the two organizations.
The Cavs presented checks to the two groups at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Thursday. General Manager David Griffin and Head Coach David Blatt were joined by the Executive Director of Shoes and Clothes for Kids, Valerie F. McCormack, and the President and CEO of Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Kristin Warzocha, for the presentation.
“When the ALL IN theme was launched at the beginning of the playoffs, our team and fans embraced it and it then grew organically across our community and beyond into something very special and meaningful,” said Griffin. “Being able to have this level of impact with two very deserving community partners is something our entire organization and every Cavs fan can be very proud of. Working together with our fans to turn our Finals watch parties into a platform to help those in need is something that will always be one of our favorite memories from this special season.”
Other organizations receiving CYF grants this quarter include:
Breakthrough Schools, Domestic Violence Child Advocacy Center, Effective Leadership Academy, HELP Foundation, Minds Matter Cleveland Chapter, Project Love, University Settlement and Youth Challenge.
During the six-game NBA Finals, an additional $30,000 was also collected for various local charitable groups through the 50/50 raffle program at home games and road game watch parties at The Q.
During the Finals the Cavs also partnered with the NBA to refurbish space at the Broadway location of the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland, unveiling the new Cavaliers NBA Cares Learn & Play Center between Games 3 and 4. The newly-renovated space features new furniture, electronics, school supplies and more, all for the benefit of the Cleveland-area children who frequent the Club.
ABOUT CAVALIERS YOUTH FUND Cavaliers Youth Fund (CYF), the Cavs’ charitable arm and a fund of the Cleveland Foundation, supports programs for children, families and young adults designed to positively impact the community in the areas of education, health, recreation, employment, entrepreneurship and life skills. Grants are made by CYF in response to invited applications from organizations serving the needs of the community. All applicants must be qualified tax-exempt organizations and the geographic area for consideration is Northeastern Ohio. Since its inception in 1993, more than $22 million dollars has been granted to local nonprofit groups.
ABOUT GREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK Throughout Northeast Ohio, one in six people is food insecure – meaning they may not know where their next meal will come from. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank seeks to bridge the meal gap, connecting individuals with the nutritious meals they need to succeed. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having provided 45 million meals in 2014 to hungry people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties. Their mission is to ensure that everyone in our communities has the nutritious food they need every day.
ABOUT SHOES AND CLOTHES FOR KIDS Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4K) is the only non-profit organization in Greater Cleveland providing new shoes and clothes at no charge throughout the year to thousands of children in need. For the past 46 years, Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4K) has positively impacted the lives of area children by giving them the pride and confidence that comes from having new shoes and clothes. Pride and confidence that are essential to a child's success in school – and in life. Today, SC4K distributes only brand new items, including quality clothing basics like socks, underwear, t-shirts, pants and coats. In 2008, SC4K began purchasing the majority of its clothing items through a direct purchasing program. Through a network of wholesalers that sell children's clothing at deep discounts, SC4K is able to purchase between $15.00 and $20.00 worth of brand new clothing for every $1.00 spent. SC4K distributes its items through a network of 35 distribution partners located strategically throughout Greater Cleveland. By providing new shoes and clothes through these partner agencies, SC4K connects families to other important programs and services that improve and enrich their lives. Every year they serve 25,000 children in Greater Cleveland.