– Leagues to Donate 100% of Proceeds to Feeding America® in the U.S.
and Second Harvest in Canada –
– Apparel Licensees FOCO and Industry Rag to Produce Face Coverings
Featuring NBA and WNBA Logos –
NEW YORK, April 17, 2020 – The National Basketball Association (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fanatics, which operates e-commerce for both leagues, today announced that all league proceeds from the sales of new cloth face coverings featuring NBA and WNBA team and league logos will benefit Feeding America in the U.S. and Second Harvest in Canada. The product launch follows the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendation that cloth face coverings be worn in public settings to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
“As a global community, we can all play a role in reducing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic by following the CDC’s recommendation to cover our nose and mouth while in public,” said Kathy Behrens, NBA President, Social Responsibility and Player Programs. “Through this new product offering, NBA and WNBA fans can adhere to these guidelines while joining in the league’s efforts to aid those who have been directly affected by COVID-19.”
The face coverings, manufactured by FOCO and Industry Rag, will be available on NBAStore.com and WNBAStore.com and feature league logos as well as designs for all 30 NBA and 12 WNBA teams. Offered in adult and youth sizes, FOCO designs are available in packs of three for $24.99, and Industry Rag’s face coverings are packaged individually for $14.99. Industry Rag will also donate one face covering for every one purchased to Feeding America and Second Harvest in Canada. FOCO will make an additional donation to support the two organizations’ efforts.
Select NBA and WNBA teams across the league will also participate, donating 100% of proceeds from team e-commerce sites to Feeding America in the U.S. and Second Harvest in Canada, benefitting the affiliated food banks in their respective cities.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended food bank operations causing shifts in distribution models and volunteer opportunities,” said Katie Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Feeding America. “We are grateful to the NBA, WNBA and Fanatics for this partnership that will support food banks with funds but also with much needed face coverings to keep their staff, volunteers and neighbors in need safe.”
“In Canada, we have seen the need for access to good food more than double since the pandemic began, and there are thousands of people working on the frontlines to feed people during this crisis. Their health and safety are vital to ensuring that no one goes hungry,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. “These face coverings are an important tool in this public health battle, and we thank the NBA, the WNBA and Fanatics for their support and Industry Rag and FOCO for matching their generosity. This support will help Second Harvest redistribute enough food to provide millions of meals to Canadians over the coming months.”
The use of cloth face coverings is not intended to replace other recommended measures to limit the community spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, washing your hands and refraining from touching your face. Please visit the CDC website for more information.
About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League. The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2019-20 season featured 108 international players from 38 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.8 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
About the WNBA
The WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women. Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition, teamwork and entertainment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion and social responsibility. Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.
In 2020, the WNBA and the WNBPA signed a groundbreaking eight-year collective bargaining agreement that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, new child care, maternity and progressive family planning benefits, career development opportunities and other resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete. Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s new partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers.
For more information, visit WNBA.com.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Second Harvest
Second Harvest is the largest food rescue organization in Canada and a global thought leader on food recovery. Working across the supply chain – from farm to retail – we capture surplus food before it ends up in landfill and has a negative environmental impact. Since 1985, Second Harvest has redirected more than 165 million pounds of food and prevented over 200 million pounds of greenhouse gas equivalents from entering our atmosphere. Supported by hundreds of corporations, foundations, and the community at large, Second Harvest rescues and delivers enough food to provide over 50,000 meals every day, benefiting a growing network of over 1,500 social service organizations across Canada. Second Harvest also developed FoodRescue.ca, a free online platform that directly connects businesses with surplus, unsold food to local organizations to positively impact our environment and ensure good food gets to people who can use it. With the escalating global pandemic, Second Harvest is leading the Food Rescue Canadian Alliance (FRCA), that brings together government, private and non-profit sectors to ensure food reaches the most vulnerable members of our communities, from coast-to-coast.