New York Knicks teammates Julius Randle and Bobby Portis each donated $50,000 to City Harvest, New York City’s largest private food rescue organization last month. The NBPA Foundation matched $25,000 of both of those donations, making it a total of $150,000 to the organization that is helping feed New Yorkers who are struggling during the COVID-19 crisis. Randle talked to Sports Business Journal about the pandemic and why he wanted to help.
When did you realize COVID-19 was a serious issue? And when did you realize you wanted to do something to help?
RANDLE: When the NBA shut down, I realized how truly serious and deadly this virus can be. Living and playing in New York, it’s impossible not to see the devastation and sadly New York has seen so much of it. I don’t live that far from New Rochelle, one of the first hot spots. Hearing of everything going on, I knew I wanted to do something to help immediately.
What is your idea of ways to help? How did you come up with the idea and plan? Did the NBPA help you with the planning or execution of it?
RANDLE: My first thought was to try and figure out where the need was going to be right away. There is so much need in New York, so it wasn’t an easy decision we made. Ultimately, my team presented some options to me and my wife, Kendra, and in conjunction with the NBA and the NBPA, we decided to give back to City Harvest. They have the all-important job of feeding those in need in NYC not just during this crisis but year-round. It was also awesome that my teammate Bobby Portis also raised his hand to help and we could partner together on it.
How have recipients, whether hospital workers, children, seniors, arena workers, or some other group, reacted to it?
RANDLE: I heard that the organization was incredibly grateful for the support. This was the least we could do to pitch in on COVID-19 relief efforts.
At the end of the day, the community around us, and nation and worldwide is so important. We all need to do our part whether it is to continue to social distance, thank health care front-line workers, check on friends and family and just respect what our local, state and national officials are telling us to do to fight this virus.
