Stephen and Ayesha Curry have proven that the basketball court is not the only place where they shine. During the pandemic, they have shone their light in the community by providing meals for those in need.
Stephen and Ayesha Curry
The power couple always had in their heart to give back to the community. So, in 2019, they decided to open a new foundation dedicated to children. Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation aims to end hunger for kids, give educational support, and create safe places to play.
Specifically, they have fed approximately 25% of Oakland school children struggling to meet their hunger. But then, the pandemic happened.
Stephen told The Chronicle, “The need has grown exponentially. We’ve seen what COVID has done to the community at large. There’s a steep learning curve, in getting set up to do this work, but we don’t have to work through that.”
He added, “Amidst the uncertainty and chaos, we are in position to make an impact.”
Eat. Learn. Play.
True enough, the foundation partnered with several organizations to meet the demand, from feeding 4,000 families per week to 15,000 families. Today, they have served more than 15 million meals.
Together, we were able to place community at the heart of our work and serve well over 15 million meals.
Here are some of #EatLearnPlay’s favorite moments from 2020. Comment down below with your favorite #EatLearnPlay moment! pic.twitter.com/AkI2qmM4cz
— Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (@eatlearnplay) January 6, 2021
“Everything happens for a reason,” Ayesha said. “For us to start in July and then just a few months later have this crisis thrust at our community and be able to keep up with the demand has really been a blessing.”
The Currys partnered with Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. What they do is pay for struggling restaurants to serve free meals to families in need. As a result, they have employed more than 900 Oakland workers, putting back $20 million into the local economy.
Anna Shova, WKC’s lead operations, said, “It’s like we’re feeding the restaurants to make sure they can feed the community.”
“Restaurant culture has changed,” she added. “Popular Michelin star restaurants have now asked ‘What else can I do for the community?’ Now, it’s less about being rewarded and more about being closer to the community. People are opening up their eyes.”