Celtics fans vote on Twitter for best dunks in November to raise money for #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes

BOSTON and WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Celtics delivered a great dunk display during the month of November – led by Robert Williams with 19 dunks – to raise $105,000 for #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes. The fundraising campaign runs each November, National Diabetes Awareness Month, and supports the YMCA of Greater Boston's Healthy Habits program, which helps at-risk adults and families learn to manage their health through fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes. Each Celtics dunk in November raised $1,000 for Healthy Habits, while fans voted on Twitter for the best dunk each week to raise an additional $1 per vote. The weeks of voting culminated in a final vote for best dunk of the month, which belonged to Jayson Tatum from the November 19 game against the L.A. Lakers. The Celtics Shamrock Foundation matched donations up to $25,000.

"Diabetes continues to disproportionately impact underserved communities, highlighting the stark healthcare disparities around the country, so we must help increase access to health and health-support services," said Neil Haynes, senior vice president and CFO of Sun Life U.S., and board member of the YMCA of Greater Boston. "We are proud to continue supporting the YMCA's diabetes prevention programming, building on years of helping people in the Boston community improve their health and wellness."

"We are proud to partner with a great organization like Sun Life that shares our commitment to improving the health of our local communities," said Ted Dalton, Boston Celtics senior vice president of Partnerships and Business Development. "With basketball season back in full swing, we're thrilled to showcase our players' dunks while increasing awareness for diabetes prevention and education."

The YMCA of Greater Boston's Healthy Habits program is a 10-week intensive course for those at risk for or living with diabetes. The program provides participants with the tools and support they need to establish and maintain the foundational habits for living a healthy lifestyle. Previously, the YMCA offered the Diabetes Prevention Program, a curriculum from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention geared toward at-risk/pre-diabetic adults.

"Support from Sun Life and the Celtics helps us continue to serve the wonderful people of Greater Boston as we try to pull out of the pandemic and help people maintain their health," said James Morton, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. "From the players' talent to the amazing fans, we are thrilled to see such enthusiasm and support for our Healthy Habits program."

Since the beginning of the campaign in 2014, #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes has raised more than $700,000 for the YMCA of Greater Boston's diabetes education programming. Globally, Sun Life has donated more than $33 million to support diabetes programs, and has given over $3.4 million to programs in the U.S.

To learn more about the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign, visit www.nba.com/celtics/sunlifedunk4diabetes. For more information about Sun Life's diabetes programs and initiatives, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes.  

About the Boston Celtics
A charter member of the Basketball Association of America (which evolved into the National Basketball Association) since 1946, the Boston Celtics have won a record 17 NBA Championships, including eight (8) in a row from 1959-1966, winning their first title in 1957 and their most recent in 2008. The Celtics have long stood for equality and respect, including hiring the first African American Coach and starting the first all black starting five. In addition, 39 former Celtics players, management or staff have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In December 2002 the team returned to local ownership for the first time since 1963. For more information, log on to www.celtics.com.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2021, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.39 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

In the United States, Sun Life is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 55,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and medical stop-loss. Sun Life and its affiliates in asset management businesses in the U.S. employ approximately 5,500 people. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.

About the YMCA of Greater Boston
The YMCA of Greater Boston is one of Massachusetts leading nonprofits committed to strengthening communities by improving health, empowering youth and activating people for good. Every day the Y works with thousands of men, women, and children to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has access to Y programs and services.   As the nation's fifth largest charity, the Y is creating a community of caring people through meaningful memberships. For more than 165 years, the Y has been developing skills and emotional well-being through education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier communities. The YMCA of Greater Boston is America's first Y.

Media Contacts:

Devon Fernald
Sun Life U.S.
781-800-3609
[email protected]

Taylor Kielpinski-Rogers
Boston Celtics
617-399-8444
[email protected]

Irene Collins
YMCA of Greater Boston
617-927-8044
[email protected]

SOURCE Sun Life U.S.