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Atlanta Hawks

ATLANTA – During halftime of the Hawks’ last regular season home game, the Hawks Foundation and State Farm presented a check of $116,500 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank as an effort to help combat childhood hunger and fight against food insecurity throughout metro Atlanta. To continue the commitment, the Hawks Foundation and State Farm created the season-long, ‘Good Neighbor Giveback’ campaign. This campaign raised $100 for every point the Hawks scored over 100 in each game during the 2021-22 regular season (up to $100,000). 

After reaching the initial maximum of $100,000 during the team’s game against New York on March 22, State Farm extended the campaign. The campaign, which now runs through the team’s game against Houston on Sunday, April 10, will continue to include $100 for every point scored over 100.  

In attendance to celebrate the milestone achievement and check presentation was Senior Vice President for State Farm Dan Krause, Hawks’ Executive Vice President of External Affairs and Executive Director for the Atlanta Hawks Foundation David Lee and Director of Institutional Giving for Atlanta Community Food Bank Cameron Turner, who accepted the award on the organization’s behalf. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Hawks Foundation and State Farm’s Good Neighbor Giveback campaign,” said Kyle Waide, President and CEO of Atlanta Community Food Bank. “As we continue to see an elevated need for food assistance in our communities, these funds will help us provide an additional 400,000 meals for those Georgians facing food insecurity in the metro Atlanta area.”

The Hawks and State Farm have made addressing local food insecurity in the city a major component of their partnership since it began in 2018, including the Hawks and State Farm ‘Million Meal Pack’ initiative and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staging 10 pop-up grocery stores in conjunction with Goodr, Inc. for more than 6,000 underserved families. 

“At State Farm, being a “good neighbor” isn’t just a slogan; it’s at the core of what we do and who we are. And we believe that being a “good neighbor” means investing in our communities,” said Dan Krause, State Farm senior vice president. “We’re excited to once again partner with the Atlanta Hawks to provide critical resources for the Atlanta Bank to fight food insecurity in and around Atlanta.”

The Hawks and State Farm have led efforts in multiple community-focused initiatives to better serve Metro Atlanta. In addition to efforts to fight food insecurity locally, the Hawks and State Farm have now teamed up to open seven Good Neighbor Clubs in locations including: William Walker Recreation Center in Atlanta, Lucky Shoals Park in Gwinnett, Lynwood Park in Brookhaven, Bessie Branham in Decatur, Ron Anderson Recreation Center in Cobb County, Welcome All Park in South Fulton and Coan Park Recreation Center in Atlanta. 

The Hawks and State Farm continue to work together to build a stronger Atlanta community. To learn more about the Hawks’ work in the community, visit Hawks.com/community.

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Hawks Foundation and State Farm® Raise $116,500 for 'Good Neighbor Giveback' Campaign to Support the Atlanta Community Food Bank

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ATLANTA – Today, during NBA FIT Week, the Atlanta Hawks announced thatguard Kevin Huerter has teamed up withthe Hawks Foundation and Good Sports to reboot Project Rebound. Before the pandemic, the foundation worked alongside Good Sports to launch Project Rebound which provides basketball equipment to area non-profits working with underserved communities.

Project Rebound are not active right now because of the pandemic, so the Hawks and Good Sports have shifted to bring Hawks Play Packs to youth within the community in an effort to continue to encourage play. One thousand students around Metro Atlanta will receive packs that include a basketball, basketball pump, water bottle, rally towel, jump rope, and dribble glasses. The pack will also include a photo card with a personalized note from Kevin Huerter on the front and, on the back, a pledge followed by suggested physical activities with links accessing over 35 free workout videos that can be used by the entire family, and a Hawks at Home dual-sided workout sheet that outlines basketball skills and drills that can be completed at home. Youth benefiting from the program include those who are a part of the Hawks’ Snack Pack Program and the Hispanic Mentoring Priority (HMP) Program in Gwinnett County.

“We all know that physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, which is why I teamed up with the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Good Sports to distribute Atlanta Hawks Play Packs to students during NBA FIT Week,” said Hawks Guard-Forward Kevin Huerter. “To win in life, it is important to work hard, stay active and have fun. These Play Packs will afford the next generation the opportunity to start a healthy lifestyle now.”                                          

Good Sports wants to give children the chance to play sports and be active, which is a key developmental opportunity. Due to high equipment costs and limited budgets, youth sports programs in low-income communities are challenged to source adequate equipment and are forced to charge participation fees that many families struggle to afford. Good Sports works to eliminate the financial barrier to play by donating brand-new equipment, apparel, and footwear to youth programs in need.

“The Atlanta Hawks are excited to work with Good Sports to reimagine how Project Rebound can still be beneficial despite the constraints of the pandemic,” said Hawks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Andrea Carter. “Even though some community centers remain closed, these Play Packs will give youth the opportunity to stay active safely within their own homes.”

The Hawks Foundation’s mission is to increase access for metro Atlanta’s youth to play, grow, and learn life and leadership skills through basketball. In February, the Hawks and State Farm, along with Hawks guard/forward Cam Reddish, joined Goodr, an Atlanta-based social impact startup leveraging technology to reduce food waste and end hunger, to expand the Snack Pack Program, an initiative designed to help fill the food insecurity gap by ensuring that children have access to food and snacks that are either already prepared or easy to make. The program currently serves those in Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, and Gwinnett County School Districts. Last year, the Hawks partnered with Atlanta Public Schools for Hawks at Home, an innovative online program created to educate and help youth stay active during this time of social distancing.

The Hispanic Mentoring Priority (HMP), officially launched in 2019, is the third priority in the GCPS Community-Based Mentoring Program. Its purpose is to support Latino / Hispanic middle school students by hosting various workshops, events, and conferences throughout the school year that focus on cultural awareness and pride, STEM, post K-12 education, mental health, and community partnerships. Learn more about HMP by visiting the link HERE. 

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Hawks Star Kevin Huerter Teams Up With Hawks Foundation & Good Sports To Reboot Project Rebound For Metro Atlanta Youth

ATLANTA – The Hawks Foundation and State Farm, along with Hawks guard/forward Cam Reddish, have joined Goodr, an Atlanta-based social impact startup leveraging technology to reduce food waste and end hunger, to expand the Snack Pack Program. This initiative is designed to help fill the food insecurity gap by ensuring that children have access to food and snacks that are either already prepared or easy to make. Because of the ongoing pandemic, school districts are no longer able to provide snacks throughout the week as many students have continued to learn virtually, and some are at home alone while their parents are at work. The program will run through June 30, 2021 and expand to serve those in Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, and Gwinnett County School Districts, ultimately serving 24,000 packs to students.

“We are happy to partner with Cam Reddish and State Farm to expand the Snack Pack program and service more students in the Metro Atlanta area,” said Andrea Carter, Hawks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. “Being able to supply children with nourishment as they continue to learn virtually is what being True to Atlanta and true to our community is all about.”

“Knowing how many students depended on school meals for daily nourishment prior to the pandemic immediately made me want to get involved with the Snack Pack program,” said Reddish. “The kids have gone through so many changes, and I can only imagine how much of a struggle it has been to adjust over this past year. Expanding this program will hopefully continue to provide much needed support and bring back a sense of normalcy into their lives while helping them stay focused on their schoolwork. I’m honored to champion such an important project for the Atlanta community.”

Throughout the duration of this initiative, 1,200 snack packs will be distributed weekly to 600 students at different sites within the various school systems. Each pack provides three meals, five snacks and three beverages. Some of the snacks in the pack include: Smoothies, fruit snacks, apple sauce, fruit, sandwiches, cookies and more.

“Making a positive difference in communities where we live and work is fundamental to State Farm,” said State Farm Corporate Responsibility Manager, Tanya James. “We are thankful for another opportunity to partner with the Hawks and Cam Reddish, in providing snacks to more children in Metro Atlanta.”

Throughout the ongoing pandemic, the Hawks and State Farm have continued their commitment to strengthen the neighborhoods that we live and work in. Last year, along with Goodr, the Hawks and State Farm hosted 10 pop-up grocery stores to combat food insecurity across Metro Atlanta. This initiative supplied more than 220,000 meals to the most vulnerable populations: senior citizens and low-income students who rely on subsidized school meals for daily nourishment.

On Saturday, Jan. 16, in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm teamed up with Goodr and the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation to provide more than 300 families and senior citizens in Metro Atlanta a free pop-up grocery store at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center. Because of the ongoing pandemic, the event functioned as a drive-thru to ensure a safe experience. This joint effort also included home food deliveries for senior citizens that took place on Friday, Jan. 15, Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual birthday. Community members in need were provided with fresh meat, produce and shelf-stable items.

On Dec. 12, 2020, as part of the Atlanta Hawks annual ‘Season of Giving’ initiative,the Hawks and State Farm hosted a Holiday Giving Pop-Up event for families in Cobb County to celebrate the grand opening of the new Atlanta Hawks and State Farm co-branded basketball court and State Farm Good Neighbor Club (GNC), located at Ron Anderson Recreation Center at Wild Horse Creek Park in Cobb County. The new Hawks and State Farm co-branded basketball court located at Wild Horse Creek Park is the 28th court built by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation since the beginning of this initiative in 2015. The State Farm Good Neighbor Club located inside of the recreation center is the fifth room renovation since the beginning of this initiative in partnership with State Farm in 2019, and the first in Cobb County. More than 100 children received gifts from their wish lists in a drive-thru format to ensure a safe environment.

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Hawks Star Cam Reddish Joins Hawks Foundation And State Farm® To Expand Snack Pack Program

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ATLANTA -– Today the Atlanta Hawks announced that Hawks star John Collins has joined forces with the Hawks Foundation and State Farm to extend their partnership with Goodr, an Atlanta-based social impact startup leveraging technology to reduce food waste and end hunger, to continue providing support in their efforts to combat food insecurity during the current COVID-19 crisis for the most vulnerable populations: senior citizens and low-income students who rely on subsidized school meals for daily nourishment. Donations from Collins, the Hawks Foundation and State Farm, will allow Goodr to provide three more pop-up grocery stores in underserved communities throughout Metro Atlanta and to continue delivering food and supplies directly to senior citizens at senior facilities or their homes in the coming weeks.

“The city of Atlanta is my home, which is why it’s so important for me to help the local community and give back during these difficult times. I am especially excited that we are continuing to support our arena part-time staff, who often work additional jobs to make ends meet with these groceries,” said Collins. “I’m proud to be working with the Hawks Foundation, State Farm and Goodr to make sure people are getting the food and meals they need.”

One of the three pop-up grocery stores will serve Atlanta Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena part-time team members who expressed they are in need. The Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena employ more than 1100 part-time team members with many having multiple jobs affected by the pandemic. The other two grocery stores will be located at Lucky Shoals Park in Gwinnett County and Gresham Park in Dekalb County, both home to basketball courts previously renovated through the Hawks Foundation. There is also a State Farm Good Neighbor Club located inside of Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center, these clubs serve as comprehensive learning and entertainment hubs for the community. Goodr will continue to adapt its normal operations to comply with CDC guidelines which recommend social distancing and avoidance of large gatherings. The deliveries will utilize drive/walk-through systems to distribute the food. Kia Motors America will be assisting with home deliveries to senior citizens by providing Kia Sorento sport utility vehicles that will be driven by local volunteers.

Within the last six weeks, Goodr has hosted six pop-up grocery stores for residents in the Metro Atlanta area through support from the Hawks Foundation and State Farm, collaborating with the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation to host the first five and the team’s official G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, as well as City of College Park Recreation and Cultural Arts Department for the sixth. More than 2,700 families and 400 senior citizens were provided with two-weeks’ worth of groceries.

“The pop-up grocery stores that we’ve done in partnership with the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm have meant so much to the Atlanta community. Each week registration filled up in a matter of minutes because food is a resource that people can’t live without,” said Jasmine Crowe, Founder &amp; CEO of Goodr Inc. “During these critical times I’m thrilled to be extending the reach with additional pop-ups and home deliveries in Metro Atlanta and serving the community when it’s needed, now more than ever.”

Each pop-up grocery store is expected to serve more than 300 families with two weeks of groceries comprised of approximately 20 pounds of food (fresh produce, shelf-stable items, meat, etc.) depending on the family size.

“The past few weeks of working with the Atlanta Hawks and Goodr to support our neighbors in and around Atlanta during this crisis have been both humbling and inspiring,” said Dan Krause, Senior Vice President at State Farm. “In times like this, it’s so important that we truly live our mission to help others, and we’re honored to have the opportunity to do that through these weekly efforts.”

Registration opens every Monday morning for future pop-up grocery stores. Participants must register atGoodrPopUp.Splashthat.com and will receive confirmation on dates and times of the pop-up grocery stores.

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Hawks Star John Collins Joins Hawks Foundation and State Farm® to Extend Goodr Partnership Fighting Local Food Insecurity

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ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks through the Hawks Foundation and State Farm are providing support and resources to deliver meals for the frontline workers treating COVID-19 patients at Emory Healthcare through an innovative multi-week meal program that will bolster the Atlanta restaurant community, allowing local well-known restaurants to re-employ workers who were recently laid off or furloughed due to the financial effects of the COVID-19 situation. Emory Healthcare, the most comprehensive health system in Georgia and the official health care provider of the Atlanta Hawks, employs over 1,000 frontline workers rising to the occasion in caring for COVID-19 patients while improving lives and providing hope for the Atlanta community.   

Principal Owners Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz, Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk, Head Coach Lloyd Pierce, members of the team and Atlanta natives and music/entertainment icons 2 Chainz, Killer Mike and Quavo shared their appreciation for Atlanta’s Healthcare Heroes here.

“The work of the medical community in combatting COVID-19 across the nation has been inspiring and absolutely incredible. While there is no way to truly repay our doctors, nurses, first responders and other healthcare workers for making this sacrifice and taking the risks they are taking every day, this effort is an important way to show our great appreciation of their heroic work on behalf of the city of Atlanta,” said Principal Owner Tony Ressler. “We are also proud that this program will aid our friends in the restaurant community, allowing many Atlantans in the food industry to keep or regain employment during this difficult time.” 

With frontline caregivers being asked to work longer shifts and hospitals nearing capacity, the Hawks Foundation and State Farm are funding the preparation of 4,000 meals weekly to serve approximately 1,000 healthcare workers restaurant-quality, nutritious meals that serve two five times a week.

“We’re humbled and honored to have the opportunity to help feed those who are on the front lines of this fight, as well as support our communities by providing business to local restaurants and establishments in this unprecedented time,” said Dan Krause, Senior Vice President, State Farm. “The essence of our business is to be a good neighbor and help people. It’s the ideal upon which we were founded, and it’s who we are at our core.”

Six Emory Healthcare hospital locations will receive meals for care team members treating those suffering from COVID-19 symptoms.

“We are so grateful for the amazing community support from the Hawks, State Farm, Miller Union and Storico Fresco /Forza restaurants, and locally-sourced farms to provide our front-line health care workers with nutritious meals to take home at the end of their shifts,” says Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, president and CEO of Emory Healthcare. “This act of kindness will go very far with our employees who are caring for patients with COVID-19 in our hospitals. We thank everyone for this terrific partnership.” 

Meals are being prepared by two local Atlanta restaurants: Forza Storico, a traditional Roman restaurant by the owners of Storico Fresco, and Miller Union, a Southern restaurant co-owned by James Beard award-winning chef Steven Satterfield. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and current regulations to prevent the spreading of the virus, both restaurants, like many others in the Atlanta community, were temporarily closed and forced to lay off staff.

“Miller Union is really proud to be a part of the Atlanta Healthcare Heroes project with the Atlanta Hawks, State Farm and Emory Healthcare.  It allows us to keep some of our staff on payroll during incredibly uncertain times, by making nutritious, restaurant-quality meals for healthcare workers and help support local farmers, who are definitely feeling the effects of the COVID-19 crisis as well.  But the best part is knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of the frontline healthcare workers that are risking their lives to save others and sending them home with the gift of good food,” says co-owner of Miller Union Steven Satterfield.

With the multi-week meal preparation program for Healthcare Heroes, both restaurants will be able to re-employ their respective staffs and provide sustainable work for multiple farmers, ranchers and bakers that provide the ingredients. 

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry is astounding. We are forever grateful for the support of the Hawks Foundation and State Farm to allow us to operate during this trying time. We are honored to serve the medical workers caring for our community,” says Mike Patrick, executive chef at Forza Storico.

The meal deliveries will begin today and will take place for the next four weeks. The innovative multi-week meal program is expected to be expanded in the near future, potentially providing a significant boost to the Atlanta restaurant economy while continuing to serve the healthcare community throughout greater Atlanta.

“In this extremely stressful time for so many in the health field, we hope that by delivering a quality, nutritious meal we can provide a bit of relief, give them one less thing to worry about and remind them that we care about them and appreciate all that they are doing for Atlanta. The fact that we can help great Atlanta restaurants re-hire staff and keep their local suppliers in business is a powerful benefit that also helps the community,” said Atlanta Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin.

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Hawks Foundation And State Farm To Support Atlanta’s Healthcare Heroes At Emory Healthcare With Innovative Multi-Week Meal Program For Covid-19 Caregivers

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ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks Foundation unveiled four state-of-the-art outdoor basketball courts at the Center of Hope at Central Park in Old Fourth Ward on Saturday, March 31. The ceremony celebrated the 13th location to receive new or refurbished playing surfaces and marked the foundation’s largest project yet, as the organization teamed with Verizon to provide four new courts.

Central Park features multi-purpose fields and a small playground for children, and an indoor recreation center, which includes a basketball court, weight room and meeting rooms. With the addition of these courts at Central Park, residents in the Midtown and Old Fourth Ward neighborhoods now have greater access to playable basketball courts. 

“Partnering with Central Park was a tremendous opportunity for us to share our love of basketball through both the Old Fourth Ward and Midtown neighborhoods,” said Steve Koonin, CEO, Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club. “We look forward to returning to the courts in a couple of weeks.”

Bob Rathbun, the Play-By-Play Announcer for FOX Sports Southeast emceed the event. Speakers on the program included Atlanta Hawks guard Kent Bazemore, City of Atlanta Councilmember Amir R. Farokhi of District 2 and City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Amy Phuong.

Verizon was on site as a presenting sponsor of the four courts and distributed premiums to those in attendance.

"Verizon is committed to the communities where we live and work," said Russ Preite, president - South East Market for Verizon Wireless. "We are extremely proud to partner with the Hawks to help create a space that those in the Midtown and Old Fourth Ward neighborhoods can enjoy." 

This is the 13th court that the Atlanta Hawks Foundation has completed with developer CBA Sports, a local company based that specializes in sports construction, since the summer of 2015.

The Atlanta Hawks Foundation identifies and selects locations following an in-depth analysis of the strength of their basketball programs, the level of community access to existing basketball courts, and the park’s ability to maintain and program the space. As a result of the efforts put forth by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and its partners in local city and county government, over 1,000,000 residents in Metropolitan Atlanta now have greater access to basketball courts.

The Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club will return to these courts at Central Park on Saturday, April 14, for the inaugural Sharecare Heartbeat Festival that includes a citywide three-versus-three basketball tournament.

For more information on the Atlanta Hawks community initiatives visit http://www.nba.com/hawks/community-main-page.