SALT LAKE CITY — As part of a shared commitment to giving back, the Utah Jazz and six different partners teamed up this season to provide community assists through an array of outreach programs. For the 2015-16 Jazz season, nearly $300,000 in charitable donations was distributed to a variety of schools, non-profit organizations and residents to enhance the lives of youth and families.
Utah Jazz players Alec Burks, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Joe Ingles purchased $49,200 worth of tickets to home games this season for its community ticket donation program, enabling local residents from more than 200 different community groups and schools to attend Jazz home games.
The team also hosted “An Evening with the Utah Jazz,” a fundraiser benefiting Special Olympics Utah and Larry H. Miller Charities. A donation of $100,000 was presented to Special Olympics Utah at the March 15 event.
AAA
For every assist that a Jazz player recorded this season, AAA Utah donated $5 to support the American Red Cross Utah Region, which provides food and shelter during emergencies across nearly 90,000 square miles in 29 counties. . A total of $7,500 was donated to this
CenturyLink
CenturyLink presented Utah STEM Action Center with a $10,000 donation during halftime of the April 1 game to support STEM’s efforts to promote the best educational practices in math and science studies that align with industry needs and support Utah’s long-term economic prosperity.
The Jazz and CenturyLink also recognized six K-12 students through the STEM Excellence Award program. The students were selected based on their excellence or significant improvement in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math and each received two tickets to a Jazz home game, a personalized jersey and in-game recognition at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Cypress Credit Union
For every blocked shot registered by a Jazz player, Cypress Credit Union pledged $50 to the Community Recreation Association. A donation of $21,250 was given to this non-profit organization for the purchase of sporting equipment.
Your Local Ford Stores
Your Local Ford Stores donated $50 to the Utah Food Bank for every successful dunk a Utah Jazz player made during the season for a contribution of $18,150.
Mountain America Credit Union
The Jazz and Mountain America Credit Union’s “Pass It Along” program provided a total of $30,000 to six local charitable organizations ($5,000 each): Neighborhood House, National Ability Center, Utah Honor Flight, Kauri Sue Hamilton School, Intermountain Healing Hearts and The Bradley Center for Grieving Children and Families.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Jazz and Mountain America Credit Union partnered with the Huntsman Cancer Foundation to help fight cancer. Mountain America Credit Union donated $50 to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation for every three-point shot made by a Jazz player during the 2015-16 season. A donation of $37,000 was presented to the Foundation during halftime of the Jazz game on April 11.
Western Governors University
The Utah Jazz and Western Governors University teamed up again this season to grant one year of free tuition to four students, valued at $6,000 each.
