Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes has received the 2019-20 End of Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, the NBA announced today. Barnes is among five recipients of this year’s End of Season award in recognition of his continued commitment to positively impacting the community through sustained efforts over the course of the season. As part of winning the award, a $10,000 donation from the NBA and Kaiser Permanente will be presented to the African American Policy Forum, Barnes’ charity recipient of choice.
“It is a great honor to be named among the winners of the NBA Community Assist Award, which I proudly share with my wife, Brittany,” said Barnes. “Brittany and I remain committed to helping the communities we are connected to, specifically showing our support for families affected by police brutality. We dedicate this award to the legacy of Breonna Taylor, and we stand with organizations such as #SayHerName with African American Policy Forum to shine a light on Black women and girls who have been victims of police brutality. We cannot forget them, and the Black men senselessly killed. Our efforts are not done, and we will continue to make a difference to fuel racial and social justice.”
Throughout the year, the Barnes’ have assisted various children, families and frontline workers in Sacramento, Dallas and Harrison’s hometown of Ames, IA. During the season hiatus, the Barnes’ responded to the critical issue of food insecurity across Sacramento’s most underserved communities by teaming with Sierra Health Foundation to donate $40,000, funding weekly groceries for vulnerable families and senior citizens impacted by COVID-19. Additionally in Dallas, they donated $40,000, equaling 27,000 meals to Hunger Busters, a local non-profit that provides daily meals for Dallas Independent School District students. The Barnes’ also provided $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas to supply personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies for the club’s reopening. Prior to the season restart, Barnes donated nearly $200,000 for refurbishments to his alma mater Ames High School for renovations to the gym including a video board, upgraded scoreboard, floor-mounted NBA baskets, upgraded lights and student bleachers.
Barnes has also been a leader in fighting for meaningful change to combat racial and social inequities. At the start of the season, Atatiana Jefferson, an unarmed Black woman, was fatally shot inside her home by a police officer in Fort Worth and the Barnes’ covered the funeral costs. At a peaceful protest in downtown Sacramento in support of Black Lives Matter following the tragic murder of George Floyd, he spoke about the importance of civic engagement and voting. During the season restart in Orlando, Barnes dedicated each Kings game to a different organization, including The Trayvon Martin Foundation, The Botham Jean Foundation, The Atatiana Project, Mothers Against Police Brutality, The Michael Brown Foundation, Tamir Rice Foundation, Champion in the Making and The African American Policy Forum, contributing $25,000 to each non-profit created by the families of victims of police brutality and gun violence.
Along with Barnes, the other recipients of this year’s End of Season award are Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), George Hill (Milwaukee Bucks), Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks). All five award recipients displayed exemplary work throughout the season – nearly a full calendar year including the league’s hiatus and restart – to advance social justice and provide COVID-19 relief and support, reflecting the longstanding passion of NBA players to give back to their communities and stand up for the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.