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The Charlotte Hornets and Official Hunger Relief Partner Food Lion Feeds are distributing 3,000 backpacks to local children facing food insecurity that include eight nutritious, ready-to-eat food items for weekends or holidays when school meals are not available. In separate events earlier this month, the full Hornets team and a group of Hornets and Food Lion volunteers packed the backpacks, which are being distributed to students at more than 10 schools in the Charlotte area as part of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina’s Backpack Program. According to a 2020 study presented by Feeding America, one in five children struggles with hunger in North Carolina, and the Backpack Program provides over 200,000 backpacks annually across the 17 counties Second Harvest serves.
North Carolina has the ninth-highest food insecurity rate in America, according to Feeding America. This is why, during April, every time the Charlotte Hornets dunk the basketball, Food Lion will donate $100 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
During his career, Irving has given back to the community in various ways, including purchasing a home for George Floyd’s family, committing $1.5 million of WNBA salaries to supplement the income of players who opted out of the bubble over coronavirus concerns or social justice reasons, and donating to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and over $300,000 and 250,000 meals to Feeding America. “For me, it’s just the balance of it, of knowing I can delegate my responsibilities off the court topeople that I’m surrounded around that are for the fight and are fighting behind the scenes and in front in the lines,” Irving said. “I’m not the only one that’s fighting. I’m grateful to unify with others. That’s all I try to do. On the court, the same way. Play with a smile, leave something that I’ve felt very dear to my heart with this game. Whatever my legacy is after that as a person, that’s all I really care about.”
But I do wonder if he’ll look back one day and regret not trying harder to get his messaging out instead of wasting time on silly flat-Earth nonsense. Irving has done so much good for those in need. He donated $1.5 million over the summer to help cover the salaries of WNBA players. He has donated more than $300,000 to Feeding America during the pandemic and partnered with City Harvest to donate 250,000 meals across New York to people in need. He became an investor in Beyond Meat after adopting a vegan lifestyle and donated 200,000 Beyond Burgers this year to New York’s largest hunger relief organization.
The documentary miniseries The Last Dance showcased Michael Jordan's legendary career with Chicago Bulls, and ended up being one of the most popular television events of 2020, resulting in a large profit. Now, in the spirit of the holiday season, the Charlotte Hornets owner is donating a portion of the proceeds to help those in need. Feeding America, a nonprofit organization of over 200 food banks that feeds more than 46 million people, thanked Jordan on Wednesday for his $2 million donation.
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On Thanksgiving eve, Feeding America announced that Michael Jordan is making a $2 million donation to aid the hunger-relief organization’s efforts. The donation, which Jordan said in a statement is derived from proceeds from “The Last Dance,” will benefit food banks in Chicago and North and South Carolina.
“In these challenging times and in a year of unimaginable difficulty due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to pause and give thanks,” Jordan said in a statement released by Feeding America on social media. “I am proud to be donating additional proceeds from ‘The Last Dance’ to Feeding America and its member food banks in the Carolinas and Chicago to help feed America’s hungry.”
Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis and TV host Jimmy Kimmel have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars to help fight hunger. Davis, Kimmel, Ronnie 2K and Kimmel’s TV partner — Guillermo — raised $262,000 for Feeding America, which serves as America’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
NBA star Rajon Rondo, The Rajon Rondo Foundation and Lineage Logistics have partnered in an effort to bring meals to the City of Louisville in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In support of Lineage’s international “Share a Meal” campaign, Lineage Logistics and The Rajon Rondo Foundation announced a donation through Feeding America, to support the local efforts of Louisville's Dare to Care food bank. The donation will help provide 255,000 meals to families in need.
"For the past eight weeks, my Foundation has been supplying and delivering prepared meals, groceries and gift cards to senior citizens and the families of the youth we serve on a weekly basis," said Rondo. "The need in our community is significant and this partnership with Lineage allows me the comfort in knowing that Feeding America and Dare to Care are able to help provide food to people who need it most right now."
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Lin followed up his words by donating $500,000 to Direct Relief and Feeding America — charities that respectively support healthcare workers in need of personal protective equipment and communities dealing with food insecurity — while pledging to match all donations up to another $500,000. As of Wednesday night, that initiative has already raised more than $137,000. In February, Lin also donated one million Chinese yuan ($142,000) to assist people in Wuhan. “Dude, I’ve got to do something. I wouldn’t be OK with myself if I didn’t do anything,” Lin said he told himself. “This is a critical juncture in history and if I don’t step up today, or if I don’t do certain things to help, then I don’t think that my faith is real. I don’t think my brand is real. I don’t think what I talk about is real. So, for me, a lot of what I believe in is authenticity. And I’ve made so many mistakes and had my fair share, but at the end of the day, I do my best to get back up and be authentic and to practice what I preach. Yeah, this is one of those situations where you can put your money where your mouth is, or you should stop talking. And so, that’s kind of where I’m at.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari’s foundation helping charities provide COVID-19 pandemic relief has received a $1 million donation. The Hall of Fame coach recently began his “Coffee With Cal” video series on Facebook to help The Calipari Foundation support No Kid Hungry, Feeding America and several charities providing relief.
The NBA is raffling off the chance for one luckily basketball fan to get drafted and have his name called on a global stage by commissioner Adam Silver as part of the All In Challenge. Proceeds from the contest will be donated to the organizations Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry.
We accept the #ALLINCHALLENGE. Want the chance to hear your named called in the 2021 @NBADraft?
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2020
Hear the details from @DavidtheAdmiral & join us by going ALL IN!
Let’s come together to feed the hungry during these tough times. #NBATogether: https://t.co/8PIyIA0AYf pic.twitter.com/EXN0r4rYsv
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