Warriors, Kaiser Permanente And The Athletes’ Corner Donate 50,280 Meals To Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County Through Swishes For Dishes Initiative

30 Meals Donated for Each Point the Warriors Scored During the 2020-21 NBA G League Regular Season

SANTA CRUZ – Through the Swishes for Dishes initiative, the Santa Cruz Warriors, Kaiser Permanente and The Athletes’ Corner donated 50,280 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, the team announced today. Launched in December 2020 with the Golden State Warriors, Kaiser Permanente and The Athletes’ Corner, Swishes for Dishes is an initiative designed to address food insecurity issues throughout the Bay Area.

“The impacts of COVID-19 increased food insecurity drastically in our community, and we’re grateful to be able to donate 50,280 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, along with our partners Kaiser Permanente and The Athletes’ Corner,” said Santa Cruz Warriors President Chris Murphy.

“Kaiser Permanente is proud to provide 50,280 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank for distribution to needy families as part of the Swishes for Dishes initiative,” said Sam Bajaj, Chief Operating Officer for Kaiser Permanente San Jose and Santa Cruz County. “Kaiser Permanente recognizes that access to nutritious food is critical to good health and this is part of our ongoing commitment to reduce food insecurity in our communities.”

Santa Cruz donated 30 meals per point the Warriors scored during the 2020-21 regular season in Orlando. With a goal of 50,000 meals, the Sea Dubs surpassed that target and scored 1,676 points throughout the season, totaling 50,280 meals for the Santa Cruz community.

“Raising 50,280 meals through the Swishes for Dishes program not only demonstrates the great talent of this year’s team, but shows the deep commitment the Santa Cruz Warriors organization has for the wellbeing of our community. The Warriors continue to be hunger heroes and to see them make this commitment during these challenging times is impressive and appreciated,” said Suzanne Willis, Chief Development Officer, Second Harvest Food Bank

"Expanding the Swishes for Dishes initiative to Santa Cruz allowed us to increase our overall reach in helping those in need,” said Co-Founder of The Athletes’ Corner and Golden State Warriors TV Color Analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, Kelenna Azubuike. “In the first year of the program, we’ve already donated 580,180 meals to local food banks throughout the Bay Area, and we’re excited to grow this program and continue to serve our communities.”

For more information on the Santa Cruz Warriors 2020-21 season, presented by Kaiser Permanente, please visit santacruzbasketball.com or call (831) 713-4400.

About Kaiser Permanente
For 75 years, Kaiser Permanente has been committed to shaping the future of health and health care — and helping our members, patients, and communities experience more healthy years. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Since July 21, 1945, Kaiser Permanente’s mission has been to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.

About The Athletes’ Corner

The Athletes' Corner is a 501c3 non-profit organization that works with professional athletes and teams to strengthen families who are struggling mentally, spiritually, and physically through the vehicle of sports. Through The Athletes’ Corner vs. Hunger initiative, The Athletes’ Corner and Feeding America are providing meals to millions of people struggling with food insecurity through a unique approach linked to in-game performance of athletes and teams they partner with. The Athletes' Corner also creates uplifting media content that is focused on faith and family, to be a light for those who need more uplifting mentally and spiritually. Visit theathletescorner.org or their Instagram to learn more.