In an effort to support small businesses and feed those in need, the Phoenix Suns donated $100,000 to restaurants and food vendors in downtown Phoenix.

Article originally posted here.

In an effort to support small businesses and feed those in need, the Phoenix Suns donated $100,000 to restaurants and food vendors in downtown Phoenix.

Suns Charities, the nonprofit arm of the National Basketball Association team, partnered with Local First Arizona to identify and distribute funds to restaurants so the businesses could provide meals to different community groups.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, confining people to their homes and closing restaurants for nearly two months, Local First estimated downtown Phoenix businesses, especially restaurants, have seen between an 80% and 100% decrease in profits during the past few months.

“The opportunity to support small, independent restaurants in our community, while also providing meals to those in need, is a huge win for everybody,” Suns All-Star Devin Booker said in a statement. “I’ve felt at home in Phoenix since day one and it means a lot to me to be able to assist our amazing downtown neighborhood.”

So far 15 restaurants and a handful of vendors from the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market have received funds from Suns Charities. The first grant was to the Duce for $25,000. The rest of the grants have been for $5,000 each.

“We will be working with at least two businesses a week to distribute the funds to so that they can make the meals and get them to the nonprofits,” said Thomas Barr, the executive director of Local First Arizona, in a statement.

Here are the downtown Phoenix restaurants that the Suns have worked with:

• Arizona Wilderness DTPHX
• Carly’s Bistro
• The Churchill (Freak Brothers Pizza and Foxy Fruit Bowls)
• Cibo
• Crescent Ballroom/Cocina 10 Lounge
• Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market (multiple vendors, including Mi Catering, Sonoran Pasta and Pachamama)
• The Duce
• Fair Trade Cafe
• Jobot
• Majerle’s
• Matt’s Big Breakfast
• Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe
• PAZ Cantina
• Pizzeria Bianco
• Rito’s Mexican Food
• Serafina Coffee Roasters