Sun Life U.S. and the Boston Celtics campaign #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes raises $105,000 for YMCA of Greater Boston

BOSTON and WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. and the Boston Celtics have wrapped the 11^th year of #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, raising $105,000 for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Held during National Diabetes Month in November, the campaign supports the YMCA's Healthy Habits program, a 10-week educational course that helps people better manage their health and wellness, and avoid or reverse a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Each Celtics dunk in November generated $1,000 from Sun Life, with a total matching donation of up to $25,000 from the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. The Celtics delivered an incredible 60 dunks, led by Neemias Queta, with 25 dunks, and Jayson Tatum, with 13.

"We are fortunate to have such incredible support from an iconic team like the Celtics and a local company like Sun Life that has consistently shown a commitment to the health and wellness of the Greater Boston community," said David Shapiro, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. "Diabetes continues to be more prevalent in underserved communities and is a major health risk that can lead to more challenging health conditions down the road. We are grateful for the ongoing support for our Healthy Habits program, so that we can reach more families in need."

The campaign also relies on fans to bolster donations. Celtics fans voted on Instagram more than 130,000 times for their favorite dunk of the week, generating additional donations with each vote.

Week 1 winner: Jaylen Brown at Charlotte
Week 2 winner: Jayson Tatum vs. Brooklyn
Week 3 winner: Neemias Queta vs. Toronto
Week 4 winner: Jayson Tatum vs. Cleveland

"We love the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign because it directly involves our amazing fans and allows them to help support this worthwhile cause," said Ted Dalton, Boston Celtics Chief Partnership Officer. "The Celtics organization is committed to supporting the health and wellness of the Greater Boston community, and along with our partners at Sun Life and the Greater Boston YMCA, we are so grateful to be able to continue the program this season."

As a long-time partner of the Celtics, Sun Life has leveraged the team's community presence to support programs and organizations that expand access to health services for those who need them most. In addition to #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, Sun Life and the Celtics offer the annual Fit to Win program for kids at various YMCA of Greater Boston locations.

"Throughout our relationship with the Celtics we have pursued a shared goal of raising diabetes awareness and helping at-risk communities and the organizations that support them," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., president of Sun Life U.S. "The YMCA of Greater Boston provides many valuable services and programs to those in need, which aligns with our focus of helping people access care and live healthier lives. It's also fun when the campaign involves the players, and it doesn't hurt that the Celtics have some of the best dunkers in the NBA."

Now in its 11^th year, the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign has raised more than $1 million for the YMCA of Greater Boston. The Healthy Habits program teaches participants nutrition, fitness, and wellness lifestyle habits, with the goal of reducing their risk for diabetes. To date, the program has served nearly 1,000 individuals in Greater Boston.

Sun Life U.S. is also a partner of the Maine Celtics, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics.

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 September 30, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.51 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 approximately 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 more than 8,500 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 YMCA of Greater Boston
The YMCA of Greater Boston, one of Massachusetts leading nonprofits and America's first Y, is dedicated to enhancing the mind, body, and spirit of individuals and families in our communities. For more than 170 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. We provide welcoming, belonging, and opportunity for all.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald
Sun Life U.S.
Devon.Portney.Fernald@sunlife.com
781-800-3609

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.