According to The Atlanta Daily World, The Atlanta Hawks and State Farm are teaming up with “Stand Together” — a network of more than 340 community and education-based nonprofit partners that help drive meaningful, bottom-up change in the community.
The partnership launched last week.
“Our new multi-year partnership with Stand Together aligns perfectly with our longstanding commitment to being a community asset in Atlanta,” said Andrew Saltzman, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “Together, we will drive positive change, make meaningful impact, and empower individuals through a variety of community-focused initiatives.”
“We are thrilled to announce our Social Impact partnership with State Farm Arena and our very first NBA partnership with the Atlanta Hawks,” said Colette Weintraub, Head of Stand Together Music, Sports & Entertainment. “Venues, like State Farm Arena, are community gathering places where people come together to share experiences. We believe these experiences – particularly sports and live music – have the power to build strong communities and inspire movements. We look forward to working with the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena to create lasting positive impact in the Atlanta-metro area.”
According to ADW, one of the organizations present at the launch was Cafe Momentum, a non-profit that equips young people who have spent time in juvenile detention with restaurant skills and a yearlong paid internship.
Stewart Williams, executive director of Cafe Momentum, shared thoughts on the partnership.
“We’ve been doing these pop-up dinners with our interns, working side-by-side with chefs from various restaurants in Atlanta,” Williams said. “From that experience, our young people had the opportunity to work with some of the best chefs in the city and learn critical culinary skills. They’re also making connections and relationships as part of that experience. And what I tell people is that we, as older adults, we have these social networks that allows us to get opportunities. These young people don’t have a way to make those connections in social networks. But by working in the restaurant industry, you never know who’s going to come in your door, and that’s an opportunity to make a connection that could be a part of a brighter future.”
According to NBA.com, in addition to the work with Café Momentum, the organizations will collaborate on additional initiatives including:
- Building a Brighter Future
Interactive networking events and panel discussions will be hosted in Atlanta to map a path towards a more inclusive and dynamic workplace. These events will focus on the untapped potential of hiring individuals with non-traditional credentials and other educational backgrounds, featuring impact stories from Stand Together partner, Per Scholas, a national nonprofit that advances economic mobility through immersive training for careers in technology and provides talent to 300+ companies in the Atlanta metro area today. Business leaders will hear from and engage with influential employers who have seen the value within their companies of employing these innovative talent strategies.
- Cuts & Conversations
The Atlanta Hawks and Stand Together will bring young men and women into Killer Mike’s S.W.A.G. Shop during pregame for a series of empowering conversations as they get haircuts and ready for the game.
- Georgia Counties School Nights
Stand Together partner, Empowered, will help celebrate and spotlight local educators during Georgia Counties School Nights who are offering students innovative educational experiences that prepare them for the future. In addition, Empowered will provide free resources, training, and support to help educators create learning environments that offer choice and flexibility for Atlanta’s students and families.
- Virtual Sales Academy
Stand Together will partner with the Atlanta Hawks to train individuals who desire professional training to learn the language of sales. Graduates of the six-part program will be competitive candidates for sales positions in and outside of the sports industry, demonstrating that talent is everywhere regardless of their educational background.
