YMCA OF METRO ATLANTA AND ATLANTA HAWKS ANNOUNCE TRANSFORMATIVE JERSEY PATCH PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND BUILD BRIDGES THROUGH BASKETBALL
The Classic ‘Y’ Logo Will Be Featured Prominently on All Hawks Uniforms Beginning Tomorrow Night in In-Season Tournament Matchup Against Indiana
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta and the Atlanta Hawks today announced a multi-year partnership in which the Y and its signature ‘Y’ logo will become the Official Jersey Patch Partner of the Atlanta Hawks. Serving greater Atlanta since 1858, the Y has positively impacted millions of Atlantans through its essential programs and services that address critical needs, builds the spirit, mind and health of individuals and fosters communities where everyone belongs.
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is comprised of 35 locations across metro Atlanta, including community wellness, early learning, and youth and teen centers and reaches more than 250,000 individuals annually.
The Hawks and the Y plan to collaborate on major community initiatives aimed at improving the well-being and health of Atlantans with a focus on increasing access to youth sports, especially basketball. The sport of basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 while teaching physical education at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Mass.
“Everything the YMCA of Metro Atlanta does is grounded in meeting the unique needs of communities – and we can’t do it alone. We’re grateful to partner with the Atlanta Hawks. Together we can increase access and involvement and provide the opportunity for more people to discover their potential and thrive,” said Lauren Koontz, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. “We’re proud to partner with an organization that has shared values of impacting the lives of Atlantans through providing access to youth sports, and curating community programming.”
Through the partnership, Hawks players, coaching staff and talent will amplify the Y’s robust youth programming and create inspirational content for the next generation with authentic stories from executives, coaches and players who started their basketball journey at their local Y.
Additionally, the Hawks will also support the Y in a variety of causes in which they share passion: urgent community needs, promoting social responsibility and uplifting inclusive communities with strong DEI values. Utilizing the in-arena experience and its global marketing assets, the Hawks will also launch a series of campaigns to attract new Y members and raise funds to support the Y’s mission.
“For more than 150 years, the Y has practiced and exemplified the ideals of service and building healthy, inclusive communities that we have emulated as a franchise. At our core, we are a community asset, and we are honored to partner with such an esteemed global organization with a strong local presence and use our platform to help them serve the youth and families of Atlanta through service, resources, and sport,” said Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin.
Beginning in 2015, the Atlanta Hawks and its Atlanta Hawks Foundation have been dedicated to positively impacting the lives of Atlantans and building bridges through basketball. With nearly 30 court renovations and nine State Farm Good Neighbor Clubs throughout greater Atlanta, the Hawks have increased access to safe playing and learning spaces in underserved communities and provided hundreds of scholarships to Hawks camps and clinics.
Across the country, the YMCA has facilities in more than 10,000 neighborhoods, helping people and communities to learn, grow and thrive in safe spaces. The Y currently serves more than 40 million people across 120 countries, supporting young leaders in initiatives that address health, employment, civic engagement, climate action and more.
“The synergy between the mission of the Hawks and the Y is so authentic and genuine. As a kid who discovered his love for the game at the Lakewood YMCA in California, I know this partnership and the access it will provide will be meaningful for the basketball community in Atlanta and beneficial in the holistic development of our youth,” Atlanta Hawks General Manager Landry Fields said.
In metro Atlanta, the Y serves families, youth and individuals throughout 12 counties. The organization provides critical programs to Atlantans including early learning, afterschool care, day and overnight camps, teens, safety around water, youth sports and more. Since 2020, the Y has supplied more than 1 million meals to community members facing food insecurity and worked to improve healthy equity in communities throughout the city through its partnerships with Morehouse School of Medicine and Good Samaritan Health Center. Each year, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta provides more than $5 million in financial assistance to help those in need access Y programs and services.
“It is a true partnership and joint mission to increase access and opportunity for youth, families and seniors to the Y,” said Jeff Beckham, chair of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta Board of Directors. The Y is investing in a strategic and aligned partnership that will leverage the Hawks’ reach and platforms to bolster fundraising and enhance Y programming resources to serve more people across Atlanta.”
As the Hawks Official Jersey Patch Partner, the classic ‘Y’ wordmark will be featured on all Hawks uniforms as well as the College Park Skyhawks and the physical uniforms of Hawks Talon GC, the organization’s NBA G League (College Park Skyhawks) and NBA 2K League affiliates (Hawks Talon GC) respectively.
The Hawks will debut the new jerseys tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. during their In-Season Tournament game against the Indiana Pacers at the award-winning State Farm Arena.
To learn more about the Hawks and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s transformative community partnership, visit Hawks.com/YMCA.
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ABOUT YMCA OF METRO ATLANTA
For more than 165 years, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has been impacting lives and strengthening communities. As Atlanta has grown, the Y has also evolved to meet the changing needs of our community. Well-thought-out planning, while engaging stakeholders at various levels, provides the backdrop for sustainable change and positive impact at the Y. By providing impactful services and support networks, and building bridges between people from all backgrounds, the Y has maintained its relevance, helping to create stronger, more cohesive communities for all. https://ymcaatlanta.org/
ABOUT THE ATLANTA HAWKS
Committed to entertaining and uniting the city of Atlanta since 1968, the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, under the leadership of Principal Owners Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz, continue to build bridges through basketball by following its True to Atlanta mantra. On the court, the Hawks’ exciting young core is led by All-Star point guard Trae Young as the organization received the NBA’s top ranking in overall in-game experience for the last two seasons. Off the court, the Hawks organization focuses on positively impacting the lives of Atlantans through providing access to youth basketball, fighting food insecurity, and the recent transformation of State Farm Arena into Georgia’s largest-ever voting precinct for the 2020 elections. The Hawks family also includes the College Park Skyhawks (NBA G League) and Hawks Talon Gaming Club (NBA 2K League). Atlanta Hawks Membership, which includes your seat for every home game for the 2023-24 regular season, is on sale now at www.hawks.com/membership or by calling 866-715-1500. For more information on the Hawks, log on to www.hawks.com or follow us on social media @ATLHawks.