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The community program has helped over 14,000 people across six market Asia get active through basketball in its first year, with a goal of helping 45,000 people by end 2025.
HONG KONG, April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life, in partnership with global sport for social change foundation Beyond Sport, has announced the extension of its \"Hoops + Health\" philanthropy program for the second year, with the goal of helping 45,000 young people get active by the end of 2025 by providing safe spaces, coaching programs and equipment in underprivileged communities.
Building on the success of the first year of the program, Sun Life will increase its investment from 1 million CAD to 1.5 million CAD, underscoring its commitment to combating rising youth physical inactivity, which is a significant risk factor for chronic conditions like diabetes. Given the concerning rise in diabetes among young people, helping people to get active and keep fit will be critical.
The Hoops + Health program uses the power of basketball to help kids stay fit and feel strong, both physically and mentally. It reaches young people across six locations - Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore – particularly focusing on marginalized youth. This second year of the program aims to reach 31,000 people, building on the 14,000 reached in 2024.
After breathing new life into five basketball courts and hosting a series of community events last year, Sun Life is gearing up to do even more in 2025, focusing on three key areas: equipment donations and court maintenance; basketball coaching and training workshops; and free basketball events and activities.
As part of the Hoops+Health program, initiatives include:
- In Hong Kong SAR and Vietnam, Sun Life is expanding its existing partnerships with the Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China (BAHKC) and the Saigon Heat, to deliver free youth basketball sessions.
- In the Philippines and Indonesia, Sun Life is making basketball equipment donations to schools in low-income areas to encourage children to be more active in celebration of their 130th and 30th anniversaries respectively.
- In Malaysia and Singapore, basketball activities and events for many community groups, particularly focused on young players and coaches.
David Broom, Chief Client and Distribution Officer at Sun Life Asia, said, "It's amazing to see the difference the Hoops + Health program has made in helping kids and young people get active playing a sport that they love. By increasing our investment in the initiative, we want to help more young people to live healthier lives. At Sun Life, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up strong and healthy, and we're committed to making that a reality across Asia."
Fred Turner, Executive Director at Beyond Sport, said, "The Hoops + Health program exemplifies the power sport holds to provide solutions to urgent social challenges. By leveraging basketball, we are creating a platform that not only improves physical health but also fosters community engagement and personal development among youth. We are excited to see how our expanded efforts will further enrich the lives of thousands of children across the region."
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, Mainland China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.54 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.
Note: All currency figures are in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise stated.
About Beyond Sport
Beyond Sport is a global foundation that leverages sport's transformative power to address today's critical social issues. It champions people, programs and communities that use sport to build opportunity and equity, creating a more inclusive and progressive world.
Since 2008, the foundation has raised more than $20 million to promote social change. It has granted over $12.3 million to 539 initiatives across 77 countries in addition to vital capacity-building tools, supporting leaders to create lasting impact. Learn more about the Hoops + Health program with Sun Life at beyondsport.org/hoops-health.
Media Relations Contact:
Becky Marshall
Director, Communications, Sun Life Asia
T: +852 6171 0312
E: becky.marshall@sunlife.com
Iris Ng
Account Director
T: +852 9838 3501
E: iris.ng@sandpipercomms.com
