You’ve heard it often enough – we are in unprecedented times. As people in our community and around the world continue to adjust to the effects of COVID-19, daily life as we know it has been affected on multiple levels.
The NBA season has temporarily been put on hold and we no longer have the comfort and escape that sports normally provide. But even without game play, Phoenix Suns Charities, along with its community partners, have found a way to continue delivering a few of the greatest assists of the season.
For more than three decades, the Suns’ philanthropic arm has been committed to supporting children and family services in our state. Phoenix Suns Charities has distributed more than $32 million to deserving local non-profits, and the entire Suns organization has embedded itself locally by supporting important community efforts that improve the quality of life for those in need across Arizona.
“There is no playbook for what we’re currently going through,” said Suns Vice President of Social Responsibility and Executive Director of Phoenix Suns Charities Sarah Krahenbuhl. “We are part of an amazing community and we have the greatest teammates on our side to help handle this adversity together.”
With so many needs in the community, there’s been no effort too big or too small as Suns Charities and their teammates have mobilized in unparalleled ways to effect positive change. Suns Charities has reached out to roughly 100 local non-profit organizations to offer resources and a helping hand during these uncertain times.
PHOENIX SUNS CHARITIES HELP KEEP MOTHER’S DAY TRADITION ALIVE AT CHICANOS POR LA CAUSA COLORES SHELTER
For 34 years, Chicanos Por La Causa De Colores Shelter has hosted a special Mother’s Day celebration each year to honor the brave and loving mothers in their community. The annual event features food, gifts and plenty of social activities for the women and their families and serves as a platform to strengthen the unique bonds among them.
This year, the coronavirus pandemic unfortunately forced Chicanos Por La Causa De Colores Shelter to cancel their Mother’s Day celebration.
“When we sent the word out that unfortunately because of COVID-19 we were going to have to cancel it, we got a great call from Phoenix Suns Charities who said, ‘Hey, let’s do something! Let’s not cancel it completely’” said Chicanos Por La Causa President and CEO David Adame.
During these difficult times, Phoenix Suns Charities identified an opportunity to keep the tradition alive and ensure that all the moms throughout their community felt recognized, admired and appreciated on Mother’s Day this year.
Suns representatives made a special visit to Chicanos Por La Causa De Colores Shelter on Friday to deliver a creative Mother’s Day experience for 65 residents, while adhering to COVID-19 safety precautions the nonprofit has implemented since mid-March. The mothers were gifted bouquets from Fry’s Food Stores, See’s Candies and Suns swag items and their families were also treated to a delicious meal catered by Paz Cantina.
“We knew that moms need to be celebrated, especially right now with all the things they’re doing at home with keeping their families together and doing schoolwork,” said Suns Vice President of Social Responsibility and Executive Director of Phoenix Suns Charities Sarah Krahenbuhl. “We knew that now is not the time to go cancelling Mother’s Day.”
AYTON SERVES UP MEALS FOR FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS & ESSENTIAL STAFF
Since the moment he arrived in the Valley nearly two years ago, 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton has made his presence known both on the court and throughout the community.
Ayton has put up some big numbers in his first two NBA seasons, evidenced by the fact that he and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to average at least 19 points and 12 boards per game at the time the NBA season was suspended on March 11.
While his performance on the hardwood has been remarkable, his dedication to giving back to the community and lending a helping hand to those in need has been equally impressive.
In an effort to demonstrate his gratitude for their continued service and sacrifice, yesterday Ayton dished out meals from Ocean 44 for those who have remained on the job in downtown Phoenix during the pandemic and also planned a special visit for the Aioli Burger food truck to deliver hundreds of gourmet burgers to medical staff at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale.
“I’m happy to support two of my favorite local restaurants while sending a small token of appreciation to the staff taking care of the arena until we can get back on the court and the brave healthcare workers fighting this pandemic on the frontlines,” said Ayton.
Ayton arranged the donations in celebration of #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving and unity designed as a platform for those across the world to help overcome the unprecedented challenges introduced to our society as a result of COVID-19.
This isn’t the first time Ayton has answered the bell during some tough times, as he stepped up in a big way last fall when he pledged $100,000 for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts and organized an item donation drive in Phoenix to support those in his native Bahamas.
COVID-19 ANTIBODY TESTING STARTS FOR 5,000 ARIZONA FIRST RESPONDERS
On April 27, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) and United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association were able to provide their members with testing for COVID-19 antibodies for the first time. The tests were made possible thanks to an $80,000 total donation from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Phoenix Suns Charities, which was used to purchase 5,000 test kits for first responders.
The antibody tests are designed to help determine if first responders have been exposed to COVID-19 and developed antibodies for the disease, even if they have not experienced any symptoms. The test results will give first responders yet another piece of critical information to help them understand more about their exposure and risks of spreading the virus.
“As first responders, we take a pledge to serve our communities, but we must also strive to protect our families when we come home after our shift,” said Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner. “We are extremely grateful for the donation and the continued support from both Phoenix Suns Charities and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.”
PHOENIX SUNS & CARL’S JR. TEAM UP TO FEED THOSE IN NEED ACROSS THE VALLEY
In basketball, it’s important to have trustworthy teammates that you can rely on when the going gets tough. The same can be said for life, especially during these challenging times we’re collectively experiencing today. The Phoenix Suns and Carl’s Jr., one of the organization’s most dependable partners, have teamed up to provide 2,000 meals to those in need throughout the Valley.
Thousands of local youth and staff at five different branches of the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley were recently treated to Carl’s Jr. burgers and Takis chips for themselves and their families. Last week, the Suns and Carl’s Jr. surprised their neighbors at 1st Street & Jefferson as The Gorilla surprised staff at the Fry’s Food Store in downtown Phoenix with a lunchtime burger delivery to demonstrate our appreciation for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic.
PHOENIX SUNS CHARITIES DONATES $25,000 TO "FOOD FIGHT" HUNGER RELIEF EFFORTS
Yesterday, Phoenix Suns Charities contributed $25,000 to support FOOD FIGHT, a 1-2 punch combined effort between downtown Phoenix restaurant/venue The DUCE and local non-profit WASTE NOT. Their mission is to deliver comfort food via Waste Not's team of dedicated volunteer drivers to thousands of local families who've suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves on the ropes. With the capacity of cooking up to a thousand meals a each day, they’ll feed thousands of hungry families across the vValley.
“Since the NBA season was postponed, our efforts organization-wide have been focused on working with our partners to assist the most vulnerable in our community,” said Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver. “We are proud to support the Duce and Waste Not’s efforts to help those struggling with hunger and encourage others to do the same. Getting through these challenging times together requires teamwork and we will continue to identify where support is needed most.”
To assist with a donation, email getyourkicks@theducephx.com or donate through their GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/food-fight-a-bout-to-feed-the-hungry.
BRIDGES’ BURRITOS BRING SMILES
As of today, there were more than 2,500 COVID-19 cases in addition to 73 people who have lost their lives to the pandemic across Arizona.
With healthcare workers stretched thin and working around the clock, no effort big or small to support these men and women can be overlooked.
Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges made a virtual visit to Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix to deliver 150 Chipotle burritos for medical staff yesterday and announced that Phoenix Suns Charities would be donating $25,000 to the Banner Health Foundation to support the vitally important work they are doing for the Valley community at this time.
Bridges, a Philly native who loves Chipotle, wanted to share one of his favorite things with our community heroes to offer a small comfort and say thank you for their continued dedication, service and sacrifice.
“I want to personally thank everyone working on the frontlines for your hard work,” said Bridges. “It’s definitely not going unnoticed.”
LEADERS LEAD
Just like he does on the court, NBA All-Star Devin Booker delivered in a big way when he pledged $100,000 to jumpstart a fundraising effort designed to support non-profits that best serve the needs of the most vulnerable people in our community. Phoenix Suns Charities gladly matched that donation, and funds will directly benefit charitable organizations like Arizona Food Bank Network, Foundation for Senior Living, Banner Health Foundation and more. Additional donations can be made through Devin’s Twitch Channel (Twitch.tv/DBook).
FEEDING THE HUNGRY
Phoenix Suns Charities and Levy Restaurants, the Suns’ restaurant and hospitality partner, donated more than 6,000 pounds of food to Scottsdale-based non-profit Musically Fed to help feed the homeless, hungry and food insecure throughout our community.
Phoenix Suns Charities and Levy teamed up again to deliver 1,000 loaves of bread to St. Vincent de Paul, a Valley institution that has been dedicated to feeding, clothing, housing and healing individuals and families in our community for more than half a century.
“We’re making somewhere on the order of 4,000 sandwiches a day, which helps give us an awful lot of flexibility to serve our guests,” said St. Vincent de Paul Chief Operations Officer Mike Hanosh. “The Suns have helped us tremendously by purchasing a full truck load of bread for us. As you can imagine, 4,000 sandwiches a day requires an awful lot of bread.”
Hanosh added that the donation helps ensure that St. Vincent de Paul can continue serving the community in a consistent way and that those who need assistance most at this time will have access to nutritious food to keep them healthy and sustained.
“The Suns are an unbelievable partner,” Hanosh stated. “They have stepped up to help us and our community in a dramatic time of need when there's a lot of interruption in what is the typical food supply chain ... They've been such a reliable and great partner.”
For those seeking to help out, Hanosh proposed the idea that individuals can host a virtual donation drive by purchasing items online to be delivered directly to St. Vincent de Paul.
When asked about other ways the community can contribute during this difficult and unprecedented time, Hanosh offered a succinct response: “This sounds very crazy, but be kind to one another.”
ALL FOR THE KIDS
While many businesses have suspended or significantly altered their operations in response to the coronavirus outbreak, non-profits organizations are now challenged to work even harder to meet the needs of those in our community that rely on their services.
“In times of crisis, non-profits don't stop working – that’s when we are needed most,” said Denise Gary, co-founder and Executive Director of Kids Need to Read in Mesa.
In effort to be good teammates during this unprecedented situation, Phoenix Suns Charities donated 250 items to Kids Need to Read on Tuesday, including books and stuffed animal versions of the Suns’ lovable mascot, The Gorilla. The organization works to instill a love of reading in youth by providing inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs in disadvantaged communities.
The youngest students also receive stuffed animals, like the Gorilla dolls donated this week, which are designated as their new reading buddy. Gary noted that reading aloud is the number one indicator of whether a child will develop advanced literacy skills later on, and given that many students don’t have a solid support system at home, kids pledge to read aloud to their reading buddies to develop their skills.
When Gary and Kids Need to Read staffers dropped off the items at Mountain View School this week, the faculty were amazed at the amount of Gorilla dolls, basketballs and t-shirts donated by Phoenix Suns Charities.
“They were so excited and over the moon that people would care enough to do this for their kids,” Gary added.
The books, Gorilla dolls and other Suns swag will be distributed to students as part of their free breakfast and lunch program.
“We knew they still had to provide the kids with food, and we want to provide them with food for the mind,” said Gary. “I think it sends a message to the kids that although they are isolated, there are still people out there that are thinking of them and caring about them."
“We really appreciate Suns Charities, they’re fantastic partners … in fact, I called your gift Suns-shine. That’s what your gift was to us, and I know that's what it is to the kids. I think it brought them a little extra happiness.”
While Kids Need to Read is helping youngsters develop their reading ability during these difficult times, the staff members at Central High School and Phoenix Union High School District are providing computers to help their students’ minds sharp during school closures.
In 2012, Phoenix Suns Charities partnered with “SunsCentral” to develop a program aimed at increasing the school’s student retention rate. Nearly a decade later, Suns Charities has continued to find new ways to support the school and its students in times of need.
“We’re trying to find new ways to reach our students, realizing that not all of them have access to technology,” said Central High School Assistant Principal of Registration Michael Gard. “In the end, we’re going to be distributing somewhere around 1,000 computers to students.”
While the concept of distributing the laptops to students during this time makes sense, the logistics are a bit tougher to work through. That’s when Gard identified an opportunity for Phoenix Suns Charities to deliver an assist.
“Our laptops aren't in bags, so it could be difficult for our students to have to carry the computer, charging cords and the paperwork documentation,” Gard stated. “We reached out to the Suns to see if we could get bags to put the laptops and items into, that way everything’s contained and easy to bring home.”
Whether it’s a monetary donation, item delivery or a simple act of kindness, Phoenix Suns Charities and its community partners will continue to step up and support children and families throughout Arizona during this difficult time. While things are certainly tough right now, we encourage our neighbors to look out for one another and trust that we will all get through this together.