Thank you for an amazing season!

Jenner Pascua is a Production Officer for UNICEF USA.

It’s been a little over a week since the end of the NBA’s 2009-2010 season. As a basketball fan I still can’t stop thinking about it. The league’s most storied rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics concluded another epic chapter. Both teams fought through a long 7 game series, and in the end, by the skin of their teeth, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious.

You may be asking yourself: What exactly does this have to do with UNICEF and the world’s children? And if you’re a Celtic fan you may be mad at me for pouring salt on those fresh wounds.

It just so happens that BOTH the Lakers and the Celtics–not to mention the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association as well!–have ties to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and we wanted to say thanks for all the help this year!

	UNICEF
	Pau Gasol, Ambassador for UNICEF Spain, plays a basketball match with students in a school in Luanda during a field visit to UNICEF activities in Angola.

Recently, UNICEF Spain Goodwill Ambassador and Laker forward Pau Gasol asked Facebook to vote for UNICEF in the first ever NBA Cares Charity Challenge. Fans voted and helped UNICEF get $10,000!

Earlier this year, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF recognized the Boston Celtics with its Children’s Champion Award for their off-court efforts to raise money for children in Haiti affected by the January 12 earthquake. That single event raised $740,000!

And immediately following the earthquake in Haiti, NBA Cares and the NBPA showed phenomenal generosity and compassion when together they donated $1 million(!) to support UNICEF’s relief and recovery efforts.

The NBA finals showed that these teams have incredible heart on the court. Working with UNICEF this year showed that passion transcends the arenas. Although there can only be one champion each season, both teams are heroes. Thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of the NBA and NBPA, the children of the world win.

Again, a HUGE thank you to Pau, the Celtics, the NBA, and the NBPA for an amazing season, on and off the court!

Amazing really does happen at the NBA.