TRAIL BLAZERS ORGANIZATION, FOUNDATION AND PLAYERS ESTABLISH COVID-19 RELIEF FUND AND ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER PORTLAND, Ore. (March 23, 2020) – In collaboration with the Portland Trail Blazers organizationand players, the Trail Blazers Foundation is establishing a COVID-19 Relief Fundto support local nonprofits serving the community. The funds raised will go to nonprofits who are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, including supporting the Oregon Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Pooled Fund, which is rapidly deploying resources to community-based organizations at the front lines of the outbreak in Oregon. In addition to contributions from the Trail Blazers Foundation, the COVID-19 Relief Fund has already raised money from Trail Blazers players and is part of the NBA Family’s goal of raising over $50M to support people and organizations impacted by COVID-19. To date, more than $35M has been raised by NBA and WNBA teams and players. In addition, the organization created a virtual Resource Center to connect community members to helpful resources in the greater Portland Area as well as some support available across Oregon and even virtually. Individuals can visit rosequarter.com/help to search for everything from basic needs to food to activities for kids and health and wellness. The site will be reviewed and updated each weekday. Fans are invited to submit any resources for review and posting. “We are proud of our community for stepping up to support one another in this time of crisis,” said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter. “We are committed to using our platform to both raise funds and connect people to the resources they need during these challenging times.” Since 2014, the Trail Blazers, Levy Restaurants, and Urban Gleaners have been teaming up to recover surplus food from Moda Center to reduce food waste and alleviate hunger in our region. With the closing of local schools and businesses, this is needed now more than ever. The Trail Blazers and Levy have donated over 5,000 pounds of food to Urban Gleaners in partnership with Sysco Food Services of Portland since closing our doors to the public on March 12. Over 48,000 pounds of food has been donated since starting the program in 2014, providing food for thousands of children and families and diverting thousands of pounds of food waste. If you are in a position to help others, please visit trailblazers.com/donate to learn about ways you can support the Trail Blazers Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund. Donations are tax deductible. ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS FOUNDATION The Trail Blazers Foundation is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of kids and families who have been historically underserved where they live, learn and play across Oregon and Southwest Washington.The Trail Blazers Foundation gives grants to nonprofits, schools and youth and is funded through meaningful corporate partnerships, revenue from Trail Blazers license plate sales, 5050 raffle sales, as well as other fundraising efforts.The Trail Blazers and Trail Blazers Foundation gave more than $1 million to nonprofits and schools during the 2018-19 season.More information is available at www.trailblazers.com/foundation. ABOUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS Members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by the late Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team's rich heritage includes 35 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. The Trail Blazers are dedicated to positively impacting underserved kids and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington where they live, learn and play. Portland is the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, Moda Center, is the first existing arena to earn LEED Platinum Certification in 2019 after receiving LEED Gold Recertification in 2015 and becoming the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold status in 2010. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit trailblazers.com.
