Community Involvement
NBA Cares is the leagues global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA’s mission of addressing important social issues. NBA Cares programs and events are designed to support communities around the world by inspiring play and teaching basketball’s values to more than 15 million youth, providing an additional 3 million hours of hands-on service to others, and leaving a lasting legacy in communities by building 1,000 more safe places to live, learn or play by 2025. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: Special Olympics, YMCA of the USA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Share Our Strength and GLSEN.
Through the NBA Cares Employee Volunteer Program, employees are encouraged to develop and nurture relationships with their colleagues while giving back to their local communities. The NBA promotes monthly leaguewide community initiatives with volunteer opportunities open to all employees and helps to identify local opportunities for employees who are interested in giving back in their spare time. Additionally, the NBA Cares Mentor Program provides NBA employees the opportunity to establish meaningful mentoring relationships through monthly recreational and educational activities with local students in partnership with a local New York City middle school. Each year during the NBA Cares Employee Day of Service, employees roll up their sleeves and join together to make a difference in communities around the world by hosting a variety of hands-on service activities and basketball events designed to help those in need.
As a reward for volunteer service, our “24 for 24” program gives employees an additional day off for every 24 hours of volunteer service that is completed through events and programs offered by the Employee Volunteer Program.