Pictured from left to right: Philadelphia 76ers Senior Vice President of Corporate Activation Partnerships Chad Biggs; Co-President/CEO of Cooper University Health Care Kevin O’Dowd, JD.; Philadelphia 76ers President Chris Heck; Chairman Board of Trustees George E. Norcross III; Co-President/CEO of Cooper University Health Care Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE; Philadelphia 76ers Chief Operating Officer Lara Price
The Philadelphia 76ers announced today a community-focused partnership with Camden’s Cooper University Health Care, the leading academic health system in South Jersey. Cooper is now an Official Partner of the 76ers.
“Community engagement is one of our core values and we’re thrilled that this partnership with Cooper University Health Care will create new avenues to positively impact youth in the City of Camden,” Philadelphia 76ers President Chris Heck said. “Basketball has the power to bring people together and drive meaningful growth and change in our communities. Together with the team at Cooper, we look forward to doing just that.”
“Cooper has called Camden home for more than 130 years and has been its residents’ trusted health care provider,” said George E. Norcross III, Chairman of the Cooper’s Board of Trustees. “Since moving to Camden, the 76ers organization has embraced the community, making them an ideal partner to serve the residents and add to the city’s quality of life.”
“At the heart of this partnership is a commitment to Camden that Cooper and the Sixers share, and we see this collaboration as an extension of our common mission to serve the residents of our community,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, Co-President/CEO of Cooper.
“Together, Cooper and the Sixers have designed this partnership to impact the lives of young people in Camden with new recreational opportunities, facilities, and healthy lifestyle education,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, Co-President/CEO of Cooper.
As part of the unique partnership, Cooper and the 76ers will collaborate on a variety of community-based activities and initiatives:
The 76ers and Cooper will host a three-day Camden Youth Basketball Clinic this summer, featuring more than 900 Camden-area youth (dates, times and location to be announced). In addition to basketball skills training and development, the clinic will include programming focused on physical fitness, nutrition and overall wellness.
Later in 2020, the 76ers and Cooper will renovate a Camden basketball court for youth in the city. This will be the second court that the 76ers have refurbished in Camden in the last year as the organization transformed Cooper’s Poynt’s basketball courts in September 2019.
Employees from both the 76ers and Cooper will also volunteer through a “Project 76 Day of Service” project in Camden. The effort is part of the Philadelphia 76ers “Project 76” employee volunteer initiative, through which all 76ers employees are encouraged to pledge at least 76 hours of community service annually to support communities where 76ers fans live, work and play. The result of the organization’s efforts annually equates to more than 10,000 volunteer hours.
Continuing their Camden community outreach, the 76ers and Cooper will create a Health & Nutrition Seminar for Camden-area youth. The youth will hear from 76ers and Cooper nutritional professionals on best practices and have an opportunity to take the court at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex.
Cooper will also be a sponsor of the fifth annual Sixers Youth Foundation Gala on Monday, March 9 at South Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena. Proceeds from the event will support the Sixers Youth Foundation as it continues to bring positive, meaningful change to the lives of young people in the Greater Delaware Valley.
ABOUT PHILADELPHIA 76ERS:
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most storied franchises in the National Basketball Association, having won three World Championships, earning nine trips to The Finals and making 49 playoff appearances over 70 seasons. The Philadelphia 76ers organization is a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment property.
ABOUT COOPER UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE:
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system and the only state-designated Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey. Cooper’s mission is to serve, to heal, and to educate. Annually, nearly two million patients visit Cooper’s 66
0-plus physicians practicing in 75 specialties at more than 100 convenient medical offices and three urgent care centers. The Cooper Health Sciences campus is home to Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
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Contact:
Wendy A. Marano
Public Relations Manager
Cooper University Health Care
856.382.6463 – office
856.904.1688 – mobile