MESA – Putting away their playbooks, the Arizona Cardinals’ 2024 draft class, alongside their mascot, Big Red, tackled a different kind of challenge: hunger.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Featuring first-round picks Marvin Harrison Jr. and Darius Robinson, the group of 12 draftees and other volunteers embraced in helping out the organization United Food Bank by packing 1,300 food bags.
When talking about the multiple collaborations between the Cardinals and United Food Bank, United Food Bank director of philanthropy Grace Bishara shared that they partnered with each other six years ago and it has been a special relationship ever since.
“We have been partnered with the Cardinals since 2019, we have done several events,” Bishara said. “We have partnered with the NFL [National Football League], catering, decking out a warehouse. We have done emergency food bags food distributions with them, so this is just one of many that we have done for several years now.”
"This is just one of many that we have done for several years now."@UnitedFoodBank's Grace Bishara speaks on how long her organization has worked with the Arizona Cardinals and previous events they have done together. #AZCardinals #NFL #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/h6vs7xzQXA
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 13, 2024
According to their website, United Food Bank donates 52,000 meals daily and serves over 2.5 million people in Arizona each year. Since July 1983, they have served places around the state like the Mesa Senior Center, Apache Junction Food Bank and Chandler Christian Community Center.
Making an impact on the communities here in the Valley means so much to both organizations and whenever they can do something together, they make it happen.
“They are our No. 1 supporters,” Bishara said. “Whether they bring players, their partners, corporate partners, their rookies out, their cheerleaders, Big Red, they are always a huge partner of ours.”
"They are our No. 1 supporters."@UnitedFoodBank director of philanthropy Grace Bishara spoke on the Arizona Cardinals and how special they have been to partner with.#AZCardinals #NFL #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/tpO5shZi0x
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 13, 2024
Maximizing their outreach and helping as many people as they can, United Food Bank works with more than 120 partner agencies and programs that “help feed families, children and seniors.”
If someone wishes to lend a helping hand with United Food Bank and their initiatives, Bishara laid out how there are different ways to do so.
“You can support in several ways,” Bishara said. “You can donate, every dollar helps provide five meals. You can volunteer. You can host a food drive and a funds drive. A little goes a long way, just a dollar. You can’t get anything for a dollar these days. Visit us at unitedfoodbank.org and partner up with us.”
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
