The Minnesota Timberwolves pledged to donate up to $1,000,000 to assist now-unemployed game day staff at Target Center amid a canceled season and battered economy.
The NBA canceled the remainder of its season last week after a player tested positive for COVID-19, according to ESPN. This sidelined thousands of part-time jobs for stadium workers across the nation. The Timberwolves, lead by owner Glen Taylor, announced a pledge, Tuesday, to create a relief fund for these workers in Minnesota.
“The fund will provide financial assistance to hundreds of part-time employees who are adversely impacted by the loss of games at Target Center,” reads the announcement.
Led by Glen Taylor, the Timberwolves and Lynx have pledged to donate up to $1 million in a relief fund for the part-time gameday staff at @TargetCenterMN. pic.twitter.com/Y0SmN6qDI2
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 17, 2020
“From the people who show fans to their seats, to the greeters at the entrance, I want to do my part to alleviate the financial concern that comes from missing games due to this national pandemic,” Taylor said in the release. “We will get through this difficult time together and look forward to the day when our players, fans and staff are reunited again at Target Center.”
The release also notes that the team has been working “throughout the past week… to bring the plan to fruition.”
This act of generosity comes shortly after Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns announced his personal intent to donate $100,000 to Mayo Clinic to help fund the fight against coronavirus.
Ordinary people have also stepped up during this difficult time, proving that “Minnesota nice” is more than just a trite phrase.
Citizens of Jordan, Minnesota, have instituted a program that pairs the elderly and immunocompromised with volunteers who can complete errands, thus reducing the risk that vulnerable populations will contract COVID-19 through public exposure.
Listings offering neighborly support have also begun to appear on Nextdoor, a social networking service that allows people who live near each other to communicate and coordinate.
Religious groups like Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Interfaith Outreach and countless individual churches have also taken action to combat coronavirus and help Minnesotans in need
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Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
