Stephen, Ayesha Curry launch family foundation in Oakland
The Golden State Warriors may be moving across the bay and setting up shop at Chase Center in San Francisco, but to riff on the iconic Tony Bennett song, the Currys are leaving their hearts in Oakland.
On Thursday, Stephen and Ayesha Curry officially unveiled a new family foundation, “Eat. Learn. Play.” The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to provide children in Oakland the opportunity to enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle by providing nutrition, education and recreation options.
Introducing @eatlearnplay! Aiming to develop the whole child through nutrition, education, and active lifestyles. Today we started w/ 966 Oakland kids. Tomorrow the work continues. Thank you to everyone on our team & all our partners that helped make this a reality! #eatlearnplay pic.twitter.com/dlpk7oHvDT
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) July 19, 2019
“Over the past 18 months or two years, we’ve really thought about what we want our own foundation to look like, what we want to stand behind,” Stephen Curry said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. “About how we can best make an impact.”
Earlier today @stephencurry30 and @ayeshacurry brought 966 kids from Oakland’s Town Camps program together to launch their foundation through a day of eating, learning and playing. Kids participated in 12 fun activity stations emphasizing the foundation’s 3 pillars. #eatlearnplay pic.twitter.com/wCb5g2XUJB
— Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (@eatlearnplay) July 19, 2019
The Currys’ personal investment in the foundation will include an annual seven-figure donation to cover the administrative costs involved in operating the nonprofit.
“We wanted to be involved in something that stems from our passions, that comes from that place of passion,” Ayesha Curry said. “We were not thinking about what this does for our legacy, but about how to have a direct impact. How to help out the community.”
Raise both hands if all 966 campers get brand new @underarmour for back to school! With a surprise challenge from @ayeshacurry and a splash from @stephencurry30, all campers who at the @eatlearnplay launch today will receive shoes for their 1st day of school! #eatlearnplay pic.twitter.com/1adF3xSPED
— SC30 Inc. (@SC30inc) July 19, 2019
Eat.Learn. Play. will partner with charitable efforts already established in Oakland, including one led by the Warriors, who will continue to have a presence in town despite the upcoming move to San Francisco.
“Since we got here in 2009, this is our adopted home,” Stephen said. “We grew up as adults here, started our family here. We’ve had so much support through the last 10 years and Oakland has given us so many opportunities.
“The exact issues and needs of Oakland are what we want to address. We might be leaving as a team, and maybe as a family moving across the bridge, but we are not leaving Oakland.”
Eat. Learn. Play is expected to serve approximately 4,000 children in the Oakland community.
