Additionally, the Sharks announced that the organization has partnered with food service provider Aramark ( @Aramark ) to donate more than 2,000 pounds of perishable food items from SAP Center at San Jose ( @SAPCenter ). The food has been donated to Martha's Kitchen ( @KitchenMarthas ), a local nonprofit that feeds the underserved in our community.

"The San Jose Sharks and the Sharks Foundation continually look for ways to make a positive impact on the lives of those in our community," said Jonathan Becher (@JBecher), President of Sharks Sports and Entertainment. "With the unprecedented situation we are all facing, we are doing our small part by donating funds and sharing our food supply with those who truly need it. We are honored to work with like-minded partners, SAP and Aramark, to make these donations possible."

According to Second Harvest, residents who are at or on the brink of poverty are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis. Working families who rely on hourly wages are having their shifts at work and take-home pay cut. Youth who normally rely on free or reduced-rate meals provided through their school system are out of school and facing food insecurity.

"Now, more than ever, it's time for us to band together and take care of one another," said Maxwell Wessel, Chief Innovation Officer and Managing Director of SAP Labs. "Hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents already rely on food banks to feed their families. Today we're adding uncertainty around employment and reduced school lunch programs. But we can all make a difference together. With enough attention on the situation, we can address food security as a community."

Nonprofits such as Second Harvest rely heavily on volunteers to sort, package, and deliver food. Amid COVID-19 concerns, regulations placed on social distancing, and mandatory shelter-in-place policies, many volunteer groups have canceled shifts - leaving Second Harvest in an unsustainable position. The Sharks, Sharks Foundation, and SAP's donated funds allow the temporary hiring of staff to sort, package, and deliver nutritious foods to those who critically need it.

The food donated to Martha's Kitchen by the Sharks and Aramark was originally brought to SAP Center to accommodate large-scale events scheduled to take place throughout March, including San Jose Sharks and San Jose Barracuda (@SJBarracuda) hockey games. Due to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, all National Hockey League and American Hockey League games have been put on "pause" until further notice. Additionally, SAP Center was scheduled to host multiple concerts and family shows throughout the remainder of the month. At this time, all events at SAP Center through April have been postponed or rescheduled.

In the spirit of Teal Together, the San Jose Sharks, Sharks Foundation, SAP, and Aramark encourage fans with available resources to join us in fighting food insecurity by making a donation to Second Harvest, Martha's Kitchen, or the Sharks Foundation.