Brandon Ingram's Shoe Donation Had $85,000 Price Tag
Brandon Ingram’s father, Donald, represented the former Duke and current New Orleans Pelicans star when the Ingram Family Foundation donated 982 pairs of Adidas sneakers to every hospital worker at Kinston, NC’s hospital—the hospital where Ingram was born.
The Foundation made the decision after seeing the front line workers in action during the pandemic.
“Normally, we do an event every year,” Donald Ingram said. “It would normally be a back-to-school bookbag giveaway, but due to the pandemic and everything that’s going on with COVID-19, we switched gears this year and I redirected the funds toward the hospital, to recognize and show our appreciation for their continued work and dedication in the fight against COVID-19. … It means a lot. We always say we want to give back to the community. It’s an opportunity to give back to the hospital.”
The donation was the largest to front-line employees in the history of the hospital.
“It’s not really the price tag on it,” the elder Ingram said. “It was an $85,000 gift, but it didn’t really mean anything as far as being a particular price tag. What it meant to us was the fact that it touched so many people. They showed their appreciation, coming out in this scorching heat. What they’re fighting against each and every day, being away from their own families, dealing with the COVID-19 patients, it meant a lot just to be able to give back.”
Ingram couldn’t be there, because he’s preparing for the season in the NBA’s Orlando “Bubble.”
“I’ve already talked to him,” his father said. “We were hoping we could get a video, but they’re really tied up in the Bubble. He did say that he wanted to show appreciation and thank you for coming out. He kept it short and sweet.”
