SALT LAKE CITY (May 20, 2020) – In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley has donated $200,000 to benefit the communities that helped shape him and the state he currently represents on the NBA hardwood.
Conley’s comprehensive contribution to five communities will address food insecurity, homelessness and remote learning needs exacerbated by COVID-19. His $200,000 donation will be distributed among Utah Food Bank in Salt Lake City; CodeCrew in Memphis, Tenn.; Community Shelter Board and the Columbus Urban League in Columbus, Ohio; the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation in Indianapolis; and the New Haven Missionary Baptist Church in West Helena, Ark.
“Giving back and helping others is very important to me. The COVID-19 crisis has allowed me to slow down and appreciate who I am and where I am in life,” said Conley. “It has reminded me that I am in this position because of the support and sacrifices of others I’ve encountered all along the way. I wanted to be there for the communities that have been fundamental to my personal growth and are now suffering due to the effects of this pandemic. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
A portion of the three-time NBA Sportsmanship Award winner’s donation will help Utah Food Bank continue to send increased amounts of product to its 182 partner agencies across the state. In addition, it will help offset the increased transportation costs of Utah Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry program, which is continually expanding to meet the sharp increase in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conley’s contribution will provide the equivalent of more than 194,000 meals for Utahns facing hunger.
Conley’s donation will also benefit CodeCrew in Memphis, where he spent the first 12 years of his NBA career. CodeCrew, in partnership with STREETS Ministries, will use the funds to acquire low-cost broadband internet services and laptops for students in Memphis to assist with distance learning. The nonprofit organization educates, mentors and trains underrepresented groups in tech to become innovators and producers.
In addition, the Jazz guard’s gift will support Community Shelter Board in Columbus, Ohio, the city where he attended college at Ohio State University and makes his offseason home. Conley’s investment will help slow the spread of the coronavirus by providing masks for every staff member and client in the homeless system. His contribution will also provide critically important personal protective equipment for staff working in isolation and quarantine shelters for those experiencing homelessness and infected with COVID-19.
A portion of Conley’s $200,000 contribution will also assist the Columbus Urban League in Ohio in its mission to create hope and opportunity for the nearly 40,000 African American and disadvantaged urban families it touches every year. In partnership with the Community of Caring Development Foundation, an arm of New Salem Baptist Church, the donation will help the Columbus Urban League meet the basic food needs of the nearly 350 families whose children have been a part of its outreach programs this past year.
Conley will also be investing in the city where he spent his high school basketball career with a gift to the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation. The Jazz guard’s investment in the foundation’s Education Equity Fund will support the largest school district in the state of Indiana. Funds will be utilized to provide internet connectivity for students, district-wide professional development for teachers and preparation for re-entry into the classroom after months of isolation.
Finally, Conley’s donation will support the New Haven Missionary Baptist Church in West Helena, Arkansas, the state where he was born and raised. Conley’s contribution will provide personal protective equipment for members of the community based in the Arkansas Delta.
Conley’s donation is aligned with the “Acts of Caring” platform of NBA Together, the global community and social engagement campaign launched by the NBA family in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “Acts of Caring” aims to harness the reach of the NBA and its partners to galvanize support for those most impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19.
Conley won the NBA HORSE Challenge last month, which included a donation from State Farm of more than $200,000 on behalf of the participants to charities focused on coronavirus response efforts. In partnership with Save the Children and No Kid Hungry, the Jazz guard also read Fox in Socks online to benefit the Save With Stories campaign in response to the needs of children during school closures.
—@JazzDoingGood or utahjazz.com—
About the Utah Jazz
Founded as the 18th member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1974, and located in Salt Lake City since 1979, the Utah Jazz are committed to excellence as a team and in the community. On the court, the Jazz are the second-winningest team in the NBA over the last 30 years, having won nine division titles and two Western Conference championships along with 16 seasons of 50-plus wins, and are supported by one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports. Away from the court, the Jazz are very active in the local community and have assisted a multitude of organizations and worthy causes by way of charitable donations, service and grants through Larry H. Miller Charities. The Utah Jazz also operate the Junior Jazz program, the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA, featuring more than 60,000 players and an additional 13,000 volunteers who take part annually across seven states. For more information on the Utah Jazz, visit www.utahjazz.com.
About Utah Food Bank
Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank has operated under various names but remains true to its mission of Fighting Hunger Statewide by providing food to a statewide network of 182 emergency food pantries and agencies. Last fiscal year, Utah Food Bank distributed 45.7 million pounds of food and goods, the equivalent of approximately 38 million meals, to families and individuals in need. For more information about Utah Food Bank, visit www.utahfoodbank.org.
About CodeCrew
CodeCrew is a non-profit tech organization that empowers youth and adults in Memphis from underrepresented communities in tech to be tech innovators and producers through practical, hands-on computer science education and training. For more information about CodeCrew, visit www.code-crew.org.
About Community Shelter Board
Community Shelter Board leads a coordinated, community effort to make sure everyone has a place to call home. CSB is the collective impact organization driving strategy, accountability, collaboration, and resources to achieve the best outcomes for people facing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. With the support of a compassionate community, our system of care served 15,000 people last year with homelessness prevention, shelter, street outreach, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing. For more information about Community Shelter Board, visit www.csb.org.
About the Columbus Urban League
For more than 100 years, the Columbus Urban League has not wavered. We remain steadfast in our commitment to create hope and opportunity for the nearly 40,000 African American and disadvantaged urban families we touch every year. We proudly offer an authentic, integrated system of services that touch every neighborhood in Columbus and Franklin County. This work strengthens families, overcomes barriers, achieves economic mobility, fosters entrepreneurship, constructs on-ramps to wealth creation through smart financial practices, and teaches children critical academic and life skills. For more information about the Columbus Urban League, visit www.cul.org.
About the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation
The Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation partners with the Indianapolis Public School District to ensure all students have the resources and support they need to pursue their dreams with purpose. For more information about the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation, visit www.ipsfund.org.
About the New Haven Missionary Baptist Church
Coming from humble beginnings with just four families meeting in a home in 1984, New Haven Missionary Baptist Church in West Helena, AR has grown into an international family of believers who are committed to their mission to exalt the Savior, equip the saints and to evangelize the sinner. For over three decades, “The Haven” serves not only as a church home, but also as a source of help and encouragement to the community. For more information, visit Facebook | New-Haven-Missionary-Baptist-Church-1483456605262996.
Media Contact: Frank Zang, (801) 325-2570, frank.zang@lhm.com or Matt de Nesnera, (703) 554-5499, matt.denesnera@utahjazz.com
