In the recent NBA finals, the Golden State Warriors lost to Kawhi Leonard’s Toronto Raptors, creating anticipation for an eventful summer offseason. Superstar Kevin Durant made a surprising move to the Brooklyn Nets, while the Warriors transitioned to playing at Chase Center in San Francisco. Despite Durant’s departure, the team still has Stephen Curry, a sharpshooting talent who has been with the team since 2009.
Throughout his career, Curry has amassed a significant fortune, earning nearly $80 million in a single year and signing a groundbreaking $200 million contract in 2017. Alongside his success on the court, Curry’s wife Ayesha is a renowned chef, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. The couple, who wed in 2011 in Oakland, remain connected to the community and recently launched the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation to support local initiatives.
The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation focuses on combatting childhood hunger, promoting education access, and encouraging healthy lifestyles for children. The Currys’ philanthropic efforts demonstrate their commitment to making a positive impact beyond the basketball court.
The CEO of a new foundation is Chris Helfrich, a veteran in the non-profit sector who previously led a global anti-malaria campaign called Nothing But Nets from 2011 to 2016. Helfrich’s relationship with basketball star Steph Curry began when he recruited him as a global ambassador for the campaign during Curry’s early days with the Golden State Warriors. Their bond grew stronger when they traveled together with Steph and his wife Ayesha to a refugee camp on the border of the Congo. The Currys, who are still in their thirties and actively pursuing their careers, approached Helfrich about elevating their philanthropic efforts, leading to the creation of the Eat. Learn. Play. foundation.
The foundation, spearheaded by the Currys, focuses on serving children and young people, aligning with their personal interest in childhood issues. Ayesha’s advocacy for childhood-related causes, including the No Kid Hungry campaign, will continue through the foundation’s efforts. Eat. Learn. Play. is built on three pillars – addressing childhood hunger, ensuring access to quality education for all kids, and creating safe spaces for children to engage in sports. The foundation’s ultimate goal is to make a lasting impact on their community, particularly in Oakland, where the Currys call home.
Recently, the foundation launched its first initiative with a day of activities and games for nearly 1,000 kids in Oakland. Partnering with Town Camps, the foundation will provide nutritious meals and scholarships for children in need to attend camp. Additionally, plans include remodeling a basketball court in East Oakland and deepening involvement with organizations that support education and college readiness for Oakland students.
Eat. Learn. Play. also aims to address women’s and girl’s issues by providing scholarships to college-bound female students and hosting an all-girls basketball camp in Oakland. Moving forward, the foundation seeks to establish partnerships with organizations that share their vision of empowering youth and communities for a brighter future.
Chris Helfrich is currently the only full-time staff member at the foundation, Eat. Learn. Play., but he mentioned that the organization is growing and will be hiring additional staff in the near future. The foundation aims to expand its reach by the end of the year, allowing more organizations to apply for grants.
Eat. Learn. Play. was established as a public charity, which Chris Helfrich views as an opportunity for collaboration. He emphasized the importance of partnering with existing organizations to leverage their expertise and combine it with the unique touch of the Curry family. This collaboration includes not only financial contributions but also the personal involvement of the Curry family through their time, influence, and network.
The Currys are deeply committed to the foundation, making a significant annual contribution in the seven-figure range. In addition to funding programs, they cover all operational expenses to ensure that every dollar donated goes directly towards helping the community.
Chris Helfrich expressed optimism about engaging Steph and Ayesha Curry’s fans and brand partners, such as Under Armour and GoDaddy, as active supporters of the foundation. These partners were actively involved in the launch day activities, signaling a promising start. With the Currys’ popularity and influence, the goal is to maximize impact by involving a wide range of supporters. This initiative is set to grow beyond its current scope to create a lasting and significant impact.
Helfrich is optimistic that within the next couple of years, the foundation will expand its efforts to encourage families all over the United States to come together to eat, learn, and bond. He believes in setting ambitious goals while ensuring that they positively contribute to the community. Helfrich emphasizes the importance of forming significant partnerships for the success of their initiatives.