NBA Players Association donating $50K to Disney union food bank

The NBA players who spent the summer playing in a bubble at Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is now trying to help laid-off Disney hotel and restaurants workers by donating funds toward a union food bank.

The National Basketball Players Association, the union representing the professional basketball players is contributing $50,000 to the food bank run by UNITE HERE Local 737.

Earlier this month, the union said it was running out of funds and was going to have to shut down the food bank.

The COVID-19 crisis has devastated Orlando’s tourism industry and left hundreds of thousands of workers jobless. Local 737, representing 18,000 Disney employees in the resort’s housekeeping and food and beverage departments, has run a weekly food distribution for affected workers and their families for 33 weeks

The NBPA’s members interacted with Local 737’s housekeepers, food servers and other Disney workers inside the “bubble.”

“Our hope with this donation is to say ‘thank you’ and extend the same kindness to the Members of Local 737 that they extended to our Members this past summer and fall,” said Michele Roberts, executive director of the NBPA. “This has been a tough year – especially for these folks and their families. We stand with our Brothers and Sisters and wish them all the best during this holiday season.”

It takes over $10,000 a week in food costs to run the food bank, Local 737 said on its Facebook page.

“This amazing contribution from the players’ union could not have come at a better time,” said Jeremy Haicken, president of Local 737. “With thousands of workers still out of work and receiving Florida’s meager unemployment benefits, there is a massive need to provide food to workers’ families. We are deeply grateful to the NBA players and their union for this generous donation.”

Contributions for the food bank can be made online to the UNITE HERE Education and Support Fund.