Sun Life and the Boston Celtics renew partnership and celebrate 10th anniversary of #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes

WELLESLEY, Mass., Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life has renewed as an Official Partner of the Boston Celtics through the 2027-2028 season, collaborating on community programming in Greater Boston and Southern Maine. The contract extension includes a new relationship between Sun Life and the Maine Celtics, the NBA G League Affiliate of the Boston Celtics which began last summer when the two organizations renovated a basketball court at the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine's Portland location. November also marks the 10^th annual #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes fundraising campaign with the Celtics, which coincides with Diabetes Awareness Month.

"We are extremely pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with the Boston Celtics which now includes its affiliate team in Portland, where we have a large Sun Life presence," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., president of Sun Life U.S. "Together, our organizations have supported community programs for a total of 13 years, focusing on helping local communities live healthier lives through wellness and diabetes prevention and management initiatives."

As part of the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign that tips off today, Sun Life will donate $1,000 to the YMCA of Greater Boston for every Boston Celtics dunk made throughout the month. Celtics fans also will be able to vote for their favorite dunks each week on Boston Celtics social media sites, generating an additional Sun Life donation to the Y for every fan vote submitted throughout the campaign. To date, #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes has raised $825,000 for the Y's Healthy Habits Program, a 10-week intensive course for adults at risk for or living with diabetes that provides access to healthy lifestyle information, tools, and support for the local community.

"Sun Life has been a valued partner of the Boston Celtics for the past 13 years and has collaborated with us on numerous community initiatives, including the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes fundraising campaign, the 'Fit to Win' program, amongst others," said Ted Dalton, Boston Celtics Chief Partnership Officer. "With our renewed partnership, we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact in the Greater Boston area together, and we're excited to hopefully make that same positive impact in northern New England this upcoming season through Sun Life's new partnership with the Maine Celtics."

Continuing another tradition, the Sun Life Honorary Ball Kid will be chosen during select home games over the next five seasons and will receive four game tickets, dinner at Legends restaurant, a picture at Center Court, and the opportunity to rebound for Boston and Maine Celtics players during pregame and halftime. 

Additionally, Sun Life and the Celtics will continue to host the annual Fit to Win program, a four-week fitness and nutrition initiative for kids at YMCAs in Greater Boston. The program, which will reach its 10-year anniversary in 2024, teaches children in grades 3-6 healthy eating habits and how to stay active. Celtics-themed prizes are given out throughout the program, which has reached more than 2,000 youth since it began.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional 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 June 30, 2023, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.37 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.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs nearly 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. 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 visit our website and newsroom.

About 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, 50 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 on the Celtics, log on to www.celtics.com.

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Anjie Coplin
Sun Life U.S.
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Caroline Weber
Boston Celtics
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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.