Sun Life U.S. and the Boston Celtics concluded their #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign, raising $105,000 for the YMCA of Greater Boston. The campaign took place during National Diabetes Month in November and supports the YMCA's Healthy Habits program, which is a 10-week educational course aimed at helping individuals manage their health to prevent or reverse type 2 diabetes. Each dunk by the Celtics in November contributed $1,000 from Sun Life, with an additional matching donation of up to $25,000 from the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. The team achieved 60 dunks in total, with Neemias Queta leading with 25 dunks and Jayson Tatum contributing 13.
David Shapiro, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston, expressed gratitude for the support: "We are fortunate to have such incredible support from an iconic team like the Celtics and a local company like Sun Life that has consistently shown a commitment to the health and wellness of the Greater Boston community."
The campaign also engaged fans through Instagram voting on their favorite dunks each week, generating further donations. Week winners included Jaylen Brown at Charlotte and Jayson Tatum vs. Brooklyn.
Ted Dalton, Boston Celtics Chief Partnership Officer, stated: "We love the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign because it directly involves our amazing fans and allows them to help support this worthwhile cause."
Dan Fishbein, M.D., president of Sun Life U.S., commented on their partnership with the Celtics: "Throughout our relationship with the Celtics we have pursued a shared goal of raising diabetes awareness and helping at-risk communities and the organizations that support them."
The #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes initiative has raised over $1 million for YMCA programs since its inception. The Healthy Habits program aims to teach nutrition, fitness, and wellness habits to reduce diabetes risk.
Sun Life U.S., a partner of both the Boston Celtics and Maine Celtics (NBA G-League affiliate), provides various financial services worldwide. It is one of America's largest providers of employee benefits.
The YMCA of Greater Boston has been serving communities for over 170 years by promoting health and well-being.