SALT LAKE CITY (July 8, 2020) – The Utah Jazz and B Corp and outdoor brand Cotopaxi have joined together to support their home state’s COVID-19 relief efforts through sales of limited edition #OneUtah T-shirts, which are available now for purchase. Proceeds will benefit the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which was formed in March by Silicon Slopes, the voice, hub and heart of Utah’s startup community.
Three exclusive #OneUtah T-shirts are on sale now, each with a special design inspired by the City Edition and purple mountain motifs from Jazz uniforms past and present. Adult, youth and onesie offerings are available for $25 each. Fans can purchase the unique shirts online from the Utah Jazz Team Store at www.jazzteamstore.com or Cotopaxi.com while supplies last.
“Responding to urgent needs across the Beehive State, Silicon Slopes established the COVID-19 Community Response Fund,” said Annie Agle, director of impact at Cotopaxi. “This new fund provides local grants that alleviate the devastation felt by local families affected by the pandemic.”
Funds raised for the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide FDA-approved coronavirus test kits to accelerate diagnosis; medical supplies for health professionals and nonprofit workers in contact with potentially infected individuals; and public health and K-12 education efforts. Silicon Slopes has set a goal of raising $5 million to support the state’s response to aid communities impacted by the pandemic.
The Silicon Slopes designated grantee organizations include the Department of Workforce Services, Utah Housing Coalition, Utah School Board, Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, Utah Food Bank and United Way Utah. As a Benefit Corporation, Cotopaxi has a long history of giving back and doing good for the wider community, both domestically and internationally.
“As a Benefit Corporation, our entire purpose is to lift the lives of people in need,” said Davis Smith, Cotopaxi CEO. “When the pandemic began we simply did what we’ve always done, putting people first and exploring how we could leverage our brand to help those in need. Through this collaboration with hometown legends the Utah Jazz, and business leaders Silicon Slopes, we aim to make sustainable, impactful change that offers hope, unity and community.”
“The coronavirus pandemic has shaken us and challenged us in ways that are hard to imagine, but the resiliency of our community remains. There’s no better way to express that than with the One Utah theme,” said Jim Olson, president of Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment and the Utah Jazz. “We’re glad we can partner with Cotopaxi, a Utah-based company that shares our values of stewardship and doing good, on this campaign to support Silicon Slopes and the COVID-19 Community Response Fund as they continue their critically important work in our community.”
Additionally, the Jazz and Cotopaxi have announced the #OneUtah Trick Shot Challenge, an Instagram promotion designed to generate awareness about the fundraising collaboration. Participants are tasked with spreading the word about the campaign by sharing their own basketball trick shot while wearing the #OneUtah shirt and nominating five additional people to participate. All posts using the hashtag #OneUtah featuring a trick shot and T-shirt will be entered to win exclusive Cotopaxi and Utah Jazz gear.
—@JazzDoingGood or utahjazz.com—
About the Utah Jazz
Founded as the 18th member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1974, and located in Salt Lake City since 1979, the Utah Jazz are committed to excellence as a team and in the community. On the court, the Jazz are the second-winningest team in the NBA over the last 30 years, having won nine division titles and two Western Conference championships along with 16 seasons of 50-plus wins, and are supported by one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports. Away from the court, the Jazz are very active in the local community and have assisted a multitude of organizations and worthy causes by way of charitable donations, service and grants through Larry H. Miller Charities. The Utah Jazz also operate the Junior Jazz program, the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA, featuring more than 60,000 players and an additional 13,000 volunteers who take part annually across seven states. For more information on the Utah Jazz, visit www.utahjazz.com.
About Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is an outdoor gear brand and Benefit Corporation with a social mission. With two storefronts and a strong ecommerce platform, and employing over 65 staff members, we design, manufacture, and sell packs, water bottles, apparel, and gear, raising awareness and funds for various humanitarian causes through the Cotopaxi Foundation. For more information, please visit https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/one-utah.
