More than 700 Bronx families picked up free groceries and accessed health services at The Boys’ Club of New York on June 22, according to the Bronx Times, in an event organized by the NBA, food rescue nonprofit Goodr, Evernorth Health Services, and No Kid Hungry.
The groceries on offer included fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, milk, eggs, bread, cereal, and juice, the Bronx Times reported. Many families brought their own carts, which staff organized and retrieved to keep lines moving. Attendance required free advance registration, and Spanish-speaking staff were available to help attendees check in.
Beyond food, the event included skin cancer screenings run by Evernorth Health Services and resources from No Kid Hungry to help families find out whether they qualified for summer meal programs, along with free small portions of hot food and smoothies. Families could also enter a giveaway for NBA draft tickets by collecting two of six stamps from stations set up throughout the Boys’ Club’s interior and exterior, with a pop-a-shot basketball experience running alongside.
One attendee, who identified herself only as Jalisa, told the Bronx Times she appreciated the event’s community feel and found it especially useful given rising grocery costs. “I love this sense of community that they brought…that’s a really nice added touch, especially because it tags on to, like, getting back to the community,” she said.
Annie Horn, the NBA’s Associate Vice President of Social Impact & Inclusion and Sustainability, told the Bronx Times the league’s role is to amplify partner organizations rather than run the operation itself. “We are experts in basketball, we’re not experts in the local community,” Horn said. “We help bring eyeballs and awareness to the great works that Boys Club of New York are doing, the great work that Evernorth Health Services is doing, and Goodr, but we really rely on those partnerships in the local community for these kinds of events. We couldn’t do it without them.”
NBA draft prospects Kingston Flemings and Mikel Brown Jr. also attended the event, the Bronx Times reported. Horn said their presence was intentional. “The first thing that they’re doing before they are drafted is being here in the community to understand that giving back is core to our DNA at the NBA,” she said.
Lilah Dima, an Evernorth Health Services NBA Health Coach who ordinarily works with NBA staff and athletes on their wellness, led check-ins for the skin cancer screenings. “Get the free screenings when they’re offering, because it’s a proactive way to make sure that you’re as healthy as you can be,” Dima told the Bronx Times.
Volunteer Desiree Barrett, who helped families select groceries during the event, told the Bronx Times she is now pushing to organize something similar at her church. “I enjoy seeing people that don’t have, get,” Barrett said. Neighbor Jacqueline Gorham, who lives near The Boys’ Club, said she was grateful for both the food and the health resources. “Thank you for the groceries, well appreciated,” Gorham told the Bronx Times. “Health is first. Without health, we have nothing else. Health is wealth.”
Featured image: Photo by Ma
