By Diane Larche’
Atlanta Hawks, UPS and GoodR Provide Food and Books for the Southwest Atlanta Community At “Books & Bites”
The Greenbriar Mall Parking lot in Southwest Atlanta was bustling with activity as the Atlanta Hawks and its official delivery and hometown Atlanta logistics partner UPS and Goodr, a sustainable waste management and hunger relief company that leverages technology and logistics to help its partners reduce their food waste and provide meals to those in need, handed out one-week worth of groceries and books for more than 300 families, at their “Books & Bites” Pop Up Festival.
It was the place to be to meet two of the team’s two-way players (two-way means they play in the NBA and the NBA G League. The Atlanta Hawks G League team is the College Park Skyhawks), Guard Sharife Cooper, who played college basketball at Auburn University and led his high school team at McEachern in Powder Springs Ga to a 32-0 season and state title, and Shooting Guard Chaundee Brown Jr., who played with Wake Forest and the University of Michigan, and to have fun with the team’s popular and energetic mascot Harry the Hawk and the Hawks dancers.
When asked what it meant to give back to the community Cooper said ” It’s extremely importiant. We are more than just basketball we are leaders in the community. Being out here helping.. these are the same people that support us so we definitely want to give that support back by doing things like this in the community.”
“Giving back to the community means a lot to me, added Brown Jr. ” We just want to show that as a community as the Atlanta Hawks organization It’s not just about basketball it’s about giving back to the community. Giving out free groceries is making people happy and putting smiles on their faces.”
Atlanta City Council member Marci Overstreet was on hand in her Southwest Atlanta Council District 11 in Fulton County to greet families as a stream of cars pulled up to get large bags of groceries filled with produce, fresh vegetables,bread and snacks.
“We are grateful to UPS in joining us in this effort to fight local food insecurity,” said Hawks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Andrea Carter. “Coming together with Goodr for ‘Books and Bites’ and finding meaningful ways to engage underserved families speaks to our values as an organization and what it means to be ‘True To Atlanta.’”
“Goodr is always honored to partner with the Atlanta Hawks and UPS to support underserved Atlantans,” Goodr Founder and CEO Jasmine Crowe said. “Feeding both body and mind is important. This means that the impact of ‘Books and Bites’ will last beyond just the meals provided for the families involved.”
The sweltering 90-plus degree summer heat appeared to keep the kids away from the bounce house, lounge, tailgating games face painting, caricature drawings and balloon art. Colgate brought their Mobile Dental Clinic provide checkups for children and UPS Human Resources Executives were on hand to share job openings information with families.
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