Harrison Barnes is the recipient of a 2019-20 End-of-Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award

On Monday, the NBA announced that Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, along with Jaylen Brown, George Hill, Chris Paul, and Dwight Powell, are recipients of the 2019-20 End-of-Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award for their exemplary work to advance social justice and provide COVID-19 relief.

.@SacramentoKings Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes), who has provided meaningful support to youth, families and frontline workers in Sacramento, Dallas and his hometown of Ames, Iowa, is the recipient of the 2019-20 End-of-Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by @kpthrive! pic.twitter.com/duJnrdUei1

— NBA Cares (@nbacares) October 5, 2020

The Kings detailed some of the work Barnes has done in Sacramento, Dallas, and Iowa communities over the last year in a press release, and it’s a seriously impressive display of giving back:

Throughout the year, the Barnes’ have assisted various children, families and frontline workers in Sacramento, Dallas and Harrison’s hometown of Ames, IA. During the season hiatus, the Barnes’ responded to the critical issue of food insecurity across Sacramento’s most underserved communities by teaming with Sierra Health Foundation to donate $40,000, funding weekly groceries for vulnerable families and senior citizens impacted by COVID-19. Additionally in Dallas, they donated $40,000, equaling 27,000 meals to Hunger Busters, a local non-profit that provides daily meals for Dallas Independent School District students. The Barnes’ also provided $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas to supply personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies for the club’s reopening. Prior to the season restart, Barnes donated nearly $200,000 for refurbishments to his alma mater Ames High School for renovations to the gym including a video board, upgraded scoreboard, floor-mounted NBA baskets, upgraded lights and student bleachers.

Barnes has also been a leader in fighting for meaningful change to combat racial and social inequities. At the start of the season, Atatiana Jefferson, an unarmed Black woman, was fatally shot inside her home by a police officer in Fort Worth and the Barnes’ covered the funeral costs. At a peaceful protest in downtown Sacramento in support of Black Lives Matter following the tragic murder of George Floyd, he spoke about the importance of civic engagement and voting. During the season restart in Orlando, Barnes dedicated each Kings game to a different organization, including The Trayvon Martin Foundation, The Botham Jean Foundation, The Atatiana Project, Mothers Against Police Brutality, The Michael Brown Foundation, Tamir Rice Foundation, Champion in the Making and The African American Policy Forum, contributing $25,000 to each non-profit created by the families of victims of police brutality and gun violence.

Barnes added that he and his wife, Brittany, “dedicate this award to the legacy of Breonna Taylor, and we stand with organizations such as #SayHerName with African American Policy Forum to shine a light on Black women and girls who have been victims of police brutality. We cannot forget them, and the Black men senselessly killed. Our efforts are not done, and we will continue to make a difference to fuel racial and social justice.€

Barnes’ 2019-20 NBA Cares Community Assist Award win will result in more good for the community. The NBA and Kaiser Permanente will be donating $10,000 to a charity of Barnes choosing, the African American Policy Forum, which specializes in dismantling structural inequality.

Congratulations to Harrison and Brittany Barnes on much-deserved recognition for all of the admirable work they’ve done off the court this year.