December 2022 Recap: Holiday Assist Month

December was the
Sharks Foundation's
Holiday Assist month! In the spirit of giving, the Foundation selected
Family Giving Tree
as the beneficiary of the
50/50 Raffle
presented by
Cache Creek Casino Resort
on December 7. A $4,150 donation was provided to the non-profit to support their mission to connect those who can give to those in need through educational support, gifts, and volunteerism. Through the raffle funds, Family Giving Tree was able to provide 208 children with helmets that will be paired with scooters and skateboards as gifts this holiday season.

In advance of their Military Appreciation Night, the

went aboard the
USS Hornet
and welcomed active duty and veteran military personnel and their families for a day of street hockey and fun! Families were invited to play hockey in an inflatable rink with
S.J. Sharkie
, use the slapshot booth to perfect their pass, and take pictures in a photo booth for a keepsake from the occasion. Attendees were also treated to a surprise flyover organized by the Hornet!

In partnership with
Veritone
, the Sharks Foundation was able to positively impact 1,200 lives by providing the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum with a $12,000
Community Assist Grant
at the event which will support their educational programming.

On December 8, the Foundation partnered with Veritone to dedicate a $14,000 Community Assist Grant to
United Service Organizations
(USO). Additionally, members of Team Teal and Veritone volunteered to pack 1,000 gift bags that USO NorCal distributed to children of military families and active service members leading up to Christmas day.

On December 18, the Sharks hosted their Military Appreciation Game and the USO served as the beneficiary of the 50/50 Raffle presented by Cache Creek Casino Resort. The raffle generated $4,455 to help them continue to strengthen America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation. Sharks players wore camouflage jerseys during warm-ups which were auctioned and raised $10,000 for the
Burn Foundation
. The donation will be able to provide treatment and support to 10 youth burn survivors and their families.

From December 12-14, the Sharks Foundation hosted an auction featuring specialty items and holiday gifts. Net proceeds were donated to Martha's Kitchen to support their mission to feed the hungry with dignity.
Martha's Kitchen
Development Director, Ryan Van Den Heuvel, stated that as their programs continue to grow, they are in even more desperate need of support. "We are blessed to have the support of the Sharks Foundation and are grateful for their backing of our food programs that provide nearly 250,000 meals each month to those in need." The $8,900 donated from auction proceeds provided 4,000 hot, nutritious meals to the clients they serve during the holidays.
On December 16, the Sharks Foundation and
SAP
provided a $140,000 Community Assist Grant to
CityTeam
to support their
Alameda County Expansion Project
. This donation was the final installment of an overall $500,000 commitment made during the 20-21 season from the Sharks Foundation and SAP to CityTeam to fund the expansion project. To celebrate the partnership, members of Team Teal and SAP volunteered to distribute 83 Chromebooks and 50 gifts to nearly 200 Oakland and Hayward residents in need. Gifts included toys, clothing, and toiletries primarily purchased by Sharks and SAP employees through an online drive.

Funding from the grant also assisted in the distribution of 1,526 meals this December throughout the 16 mobile food pantry locations in the East Bay. By January 2023, all 18 of the mobile food pantry locations made possible by the $500,000 grant will be operational and serve thousands of Alameda County residents each month.
In total, the Sharks Foundation dedicated $193,505 and impacted nearly 8,381 lives this December.