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"Being isolated during this unprecedented time doesn't mean we can't come together as a City," Simmons said in an Instagram post. "Finding nonprofit organizations who are helping on the front line is often hard but @ThePhillyPledge have made it easy."
A post shared by Ben Simmons (@bensimmons) on Mar 27, 2020 at 6:04am PDT
The Philly Pledge provides direct links to donation pages for Philabundance and the PHL COVID-19 Fund, which assists the nonprofit sector.
After Simmons began the initiative on Friday, other Philadelphia athletes followed in promoting it — including Bryce Harper, Zach and Julie Ertz, Tobias Harris, Claude Giroux, Jalen Mills, Rhys Hoskins, Scott Kingery, and Eddie Alvarez.
A post shared by Bryce Harper (@bryceharper3) on Mar 28, 2020 at 6:30pm PDT
A post shared by Zach Ertz (@zachertz) on Mar 28, 2020 at 10:56am PDT
A post shared by Tobias Harris (@tobiasharris) on Mar 28, 2020 at 3:04pm PDT
A post shared by Claude Giroux (@28cgiroux) on Mar 28, 2020 at 10:01am PDT
Mayor Jim Kenney applauded Simmons for "using his influence, voice, resources and compassion."
“The Philly Pledge is amplifying the important message to Philadelphians to come together to help Philadelphians in this unprecedented time," Kenney said on Friday.
“At a time like this, it is important and inspiring to see our city come together and for celebrities such as Ben using their platforms to deliver messages of unity and generosity towards each other. ... So we thank Ben Simmons and all those supporting his efforts.
“Collectively Ben and these individual institutions and donors are making a simple statement — we are all Philadelphians, and we need to do what is best for the residents of our city. Ben said it best himself, and I quote, 'As a city, we always band together, and no matter how far away we move in this world, Philadelphia is always our home. Through thick and thin, wins and losses, championships or busts, we always come together at a time of need and we leave no one behind.'"
The Sixers organization donated an unspecified six-figure amount, which Philabundance Communications Coordinator Samantha Retamar said will make a huge impact.
“The six-figure donation is going to provide about 20,000 boxes and feed about 160,000 people,” she said.
“Currently, we are working with the city and a couple other entities — Share (Food Program) as well — to distribute emergency food boxes,” she continued. “Those emergency food boxes are filled with shelf staple items that people can have for long periods of time, so things like peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, beans. Things that are not going to go bad from one day to the next.”
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