INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Inc., today announces professional basketball player Kevin Love as its latest Elevance Health Champion. Designed to help increase awareness for critical health challenges and raise funds for local organizations that are making a healthy difference in their communities, the Elevance Health Champion program recognizes professional athletes and organizations who have dedicated their life to leading healthy lifestyles and are actively helping to inspire others to do the same.
With one in five adults reporting that they experience some type of mental illness, more than 30% of Americans still worry about being judged by others for seeking mental health services. After publicly sharing his personal experience with mental health challenges, Love established the Kevin Love Fund (KLF) to inspire others to live their healthiest lives while providing tools for both mental and physical health. In 2021, the Elevance Health Foundation announced a $30 million commitment to support programs that address mental health, with an emphasis on substance use disorder. By sharing the Foundation’s goal of strengthening communities and improving health outcomes, Love was strategically chosen as the next Elevance Health Champion.
“At Elevance Health, we are driven by our purpose of improving the health of humanity. This means we must take a whole health approach to understand and address the physical, behavioral, and social drivers of health,” said Gail K. Boudreaux, President and CEO at Elevance Health. “The Elevance Health Foundation Champion program allows us to partner with organizations and individuals who serve as positive role models, allowing us to further strengthen our communities. The Kevin Love Fund’s free mental health curriculum for high school- and college-aged students signifies Kevin Love’s commitment to addressing behavioral health in our communities, making him a great choice as our next Elevance Health Champion.”
Love attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he played college basketball for the Bruins. Love made his NBA debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the fifth overall draft pick in 2008. Love is a five-time All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA Second Team. He won an NBA Championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.
“Everyone is going through something we can’t see,” said Love. “After going through my own challenges, I want to break the stigma around mental health and ensure everyone has the support they need in order to thrive. I’m proud to be an Elevance Health Champion and look forward to continuing to share my story and raising awareness around behavioral health.”
Love joins an impressive list of other athletes as an Elevance Health Champion including Tamika Catchings, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Billie Jean King, Michael Phelps, Victor Oladipo, Eli Manning, Glenn Robinson III, and Jake Steinfeld, whose philanthropic work convey the message on improving overall public health.
The Elevance Health Champion campaign is a program within Elevance Health CARES, Inc., a public charity created to complement the work Elevance Health Foundation does to advance health equity across America. To date, this partnership, Elevance Health associates, Elevance Health Foundation and Elevance Health CARES have raised nearly $125,000 for the Kevin Love Fund. To learn more and consider joining Kevin Love and Elevance Health in promoting mental health by making a donation, please visit elevancehealth.benevity.org/community.
ABOUT ELEVANCE HEALTH FOUNDATION
Elevance Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health, Inc. The Foundation works to advance health equity by focusing on improving the health of the socially vulnerable through partnerships and programs in our communities with an emphasis on maternal child health; substance use disorder; and food as medicine. Through its key areas of focus, the Foundation also strategically aligns with Elevance Health’s focus on community health and becoming a lifetime, trusted health partner that is fueled by its purpose to improve the health of humanity. To learn more about Elevance Health Foundation, please visit www.elevancehealth.foundation or follow us @ElevanceFND on X and Elevance Health Foundation on Facebook.
ABOUT THE KEVIN LOVE FUND
The Kevin Love Fund (KLF) was founded in 2018 after professional basketball player Kevin Love suffered a debilitating panic attack during a nationally televised basketball game. During one of the darkest periods in his life, he decided to step into the light and publicly share his personal story about depression and anxiety with the world. The national conversation he sparked has now become a thriving nonprofit that works to inspire people to live their healthiest lives while providing tools for both mental and physical health. Through a unique combination of education, research, grant-making, and advocacy, KLF is breaking the stigma around mental health and ensuring people who are suffering have the support needed to thrive.
