Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation

We’re still smiling about all the fun we had at Oakland Marathon race weekend! Huge shoutout to Kaiser Permanente for making the Eat. Learn. Play. Kids Fun Run possible and for being the presenting sponsor of the entire weekend. Their support helped bring 10,000 runners together to celebrate movement, joy, and community—especially the 1,000 kids who laced up for their race, many for the very first time! From high fives at the start line to big smiles and finish line medals, this weekend was all about creating opportunities for kids to be active and thrive. Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to Oakland’s kids extends far beyond race weekend, and we’re grateful to have them as a partner in this work year-round. Click through to relive the magic! 🏅 #EatLearnPlay #OaklandMarathon #KidsRun Soul Focus Sports

Every kid deserves the chance to fall in love with reading. Our new short film, "From Struggle to Strength: Advancing Literacy Efforts in Oakland," made with OpenLight Films, shows how high-dosage tutoring is helping Oakland students build skills, confidence, and brighter futures. With our $25 million, five-year commitment, we’re making sure more than 10,000 Oakland Unified School District students get the reading support they need to thrive. We invite you to see the impact in action—watch the full film.

What a weekend in Oakland! The 2025 Oakland Marathon was a celebration of movement, community, and opportunity—and Eat. Learn. Play. was proud to be at the heart of it all as the event’s charitable beneficiary. Proceeds from this year’s event raised over $100,000 to support Eat. Learn. Play.’s mission of improving the lives of Oakland kids and families. From the youngest runners at the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation Kids Fun Run, presented by Kaiser Permanente, to the excitement of the Under Armour shakeout run, to thousands of marathoners and first-time 5K finishers, the energy was unmatched. Over 10,000 participants hit the streets, and more than 1,000 kids—many running their very first race. We were proud to provide free registration for every Oakland Unified School District student who took part in the Kids Fun Run, making it easier for more kids to get out and move. The weekend was about more than races—it was about celebrating Oakland. Whether you ran past one of our transformed schoolyards at Franklin or Piedmont Avenue Elementary, or cheered from the sidelines, your support is helping create safe, active spaces where kids can play, learn, and grow. We’re grateful to the Oakland Marathon and all our incredible partners for making this weekend possible including: Kaiser Permanente, Under Armour, PLEZi Nutrition, Joie Children's Products, Inc., Rakuten, Fresh Bellies, Oakland Athletic League, Golden State Vaklyries, Zenni Optical, Visit Oakland, Fit Kids Foundation, Street Soccer USA, Oakland Lacrosse Club, Girls On the Run Bay Area—and all the volunteers who kept things running (literally)! Photos by Noah Graham

We’re proud to announce an expansion of our partnership with Under Armour and Curry Brand—backed by a seven-figure annual investment to revitalize youth sports across the Oakland Unified School District. By creating a seamless pathway from elementary school play spaces to middle and high school athletics, we’re ensuring every Oakland student has access to the opportunities, resources, and support they need to grow and succeed—on and off the field.

Join in on the livestream of The Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit this morning at 9:30 AM Pacific Time as ESPN and our CEO, Christopher Helfrich discuss Eat Learn Play’s major new efforts to support youth sports in Oakland.

Happy birthday to our co-founder, Ayesha Curry! Your leadership and heart are driving real change—helping ensure every child has access to the healthy meals and opportunities they need to thrive. We’re grateful for your vision and dedication to creating a brighter future for Oakland kids and families. Here’s to another incredible year!

Take a walk around Oakland and the greater Bay Area and you’ll spot their work right away. The iconic style of illuminaries murals + design is everywhere, including Eat. Learn. Play. Together, we’ve collaborated on projects that brighten communities and inspire kids every day, whether it’s our Eat. Learn. Play. Bus, volunteer t-shirts, Little Town Libraries, or our partner Alameda County Community Food Bank’s mobile food pantry bus. Recently, we caught up with Illuminaries co-founders Steve Ha and Tim Hon to learn how they turn bold ideas into powerful murals and illustrations. 🎥 Cal Hunter

Race week is HERE! Oakland, are you ready to run? Whether you’re tackling 26.2 miles or joining us for the Eat. Learn. Play. Kids Fun Run, we can’t wait to see you at the Oakland Marathon. Your involvement directly fuels Eat. Learn. Play.’s mission to unlock the amazing potential of every child. There’s still time to register at oaklandmarathon.com

The Literacy & Justice For All symposium, hosted by Oakland Literacy Coalition, was a powerful gathering of educators, advocates, and community leaders working to advance literacy as a tool for social justice and transformational life outcomes. Our COO, Courtney Harvey, was proud to represent Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation on the panel "Teachers, Tutors, and Strong Partnerships Together: Reimagining Literacy Instruction in Oakland," alongside leaders from Hoot Reading, Ignite Reading, Center for the Collaborative Classroom, The Oakland REACH, and Oakland Unified School District. The conversation centered on how we’re working together to align with OUSD’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports and ensure all Oakland students have access to effective, evidence-based literacy instruction. Eat. Learn. Play. was honored to serve as one of the partners for this important event.

We are so proud to partner with Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and the Golden State Warriors Community Foundation. Thank you Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry for your continued leadership and vision in supporting our #Oakland community and every student in #TheTown. The NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service at East Oakland Pride Elementary was a prime example of how to show up for our kids. #EatLearnPlay #NBAAllStar2025 | Photo Credit: Noah Graham/Mike Rasay