ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks are using their vast platform to continue their pledge to give back to the community in a variety of ways.
The annual NBA Cares Season of Giving is just another portal from which the Hawks are creating emotional bonds with, and providing uplift for, the community in both subtle and significant ways. The Hawks will use this opportunity to upgrade basketball courts and put on basketball clinics from December and into January.
By fulfilling promises the team made through its #GiveThanksChallenge, a social media initiative designed to increase acts of kindness, the club and its players will give back to their community throughout December and into January.
Activations tip off with today’s surprise practice takeover for Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School’s boys and girls middle school basketball teams at Alonzo Crim Open Campus High School. The Hawks’ basketball development staff and team alumni will direct a joint practice for the squads, leading the teams through drills and exercises. The initiative continues on Dec. 5, when the basketball development staff will pull double-duty and host two separate, free skills clinics to celebrate the opening night of recreational leagues in DeKalb County and the Marcus Jewish Community Center.
“As an organization, we have so much to be thankful for this holiday season,” said David Lee, SVP, External Affairs and Executive Director of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation. “The city of Atlanta and our fans have given so much to us over the course of the year. They have inspired us to reciprocate their generosity, and we pledge to pay it forward during the ‘Season of Giving.’”
On Dec. 15, the basketball court at Grant Park will receive a facelift, compliments of the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and CBA Sports. Current Hawks players and alumni will be joined by representatives from the City of Atlanta to celebrate the remodeled court at one of the city’s most historic parks. The team’s basketball development staff will instruct youth from local schools during a skills clinic on the updated court, and the organization will provide each participant with a ticket voucher to a future Hawks game.
On Dec. 19, Hawks employees and front office members will participate in a skills clinic with the BlazeSports Wheelchair Basketball Program at Philips Arena. In addition to game-worn Hawks jerseys they have always received, BlazeSports players will receive three new wheelchairs, and will take on the Hawks staff members in a game of wheelchair basketball at the arena.
The #GiveThanksChallenge was launched by Hawks players on social media as a way to broadcast the reasons they are thankful this holiday season, explain how their thankfulness has inspired them to give back, and issue a challenge to their social media followers to give back in a meaningful way. Several players have already issued their challenges, and are in the process of honoring their pledges. For details, fans are encouraged to visit www.hawks.com/givethanks, a page designed to track the good deeds promised by Atlanta players, alumni and staff.
During the Season of Giving (Nov. 23 – Dec. 25), the NBA Family will host hundreds of events, including food drives, hospital visits, soup kitchen events, holiday parties, toy-drives and shopping sprees. Media advisories will be sent in advance of individual activations, when appropriate.
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