Now in its 12th year, the campaign has raised more than $1M for the YMCA of Greater Boston’s health, fitness and nutrition programs
BOSTON and WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sun Life U.S. and the Boston Celtics have wrapped the 12th year of #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, raising $125,000 for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Held during National Diabetes Month in November, each Celtics dunk generated a $1,000 donation from Sun Life, which was matched by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation up to $25,000. #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes supports the YMCA’s health, fitness and nutrition programs, which help people improve their day-to-day health and avoid or better manage type 2 diabetes. The Celtics delivered an incredible 52 dunks this November, led by Neemias Queta, with 22 dunks, and Josh Minott, with 10.
“Diabetes continues to be linked to a wide range of factors and is a major health risk that can lead to more challenging health conditions,” said David Shapiro, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston (YGB). “We are so appreciative of our deeply committed partners, Sun Life and the Celtics, who have both elevated awareness, education, and YGB’s programming that provides the knowledge, tools and routines for health and thriving. In partnership, we are able to reach so many more of our neighbors of all ages across Greater Boston.”
#SunLifeDunk4Diabetes also harnesses the enthusiasm and engagement of Celtics fans to bolster donations. Throughout November, fans cast over 26,000 votes for their favorite dunk of the week via the Celtics Instagram channel, with each vote generating an additional donation from Sun Life.
The winning dunk each week were:
Week 1: Josh Minott vs. Utah
Week 2: Jaylen Brown at Orlando
Week 3: Neemias Queta vs. Memphis
Week 4: Neemias Queta vs. Brooklyn
“#SunLifeDunk4Diabetes is great because it lets the fans become involved in supporting an important cause,” said Ted Dalton, Boston Celtics chief partnership officer. “The Celtics organization is committed to the health and wellness of the Greater Boston community, and we know Sun Life shares that commitment. We are so grateful to be able to continue supporting the YMCA of Greater Boston this season.”
As a long-time partner of the Celtics, Sun Life has leveraged the team’s community presence to support programs and organizations that expand access to health services for those who need them most. In addition to #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, Sun Life and the Celtics offer the annual Fit to Win program for kids at various YMCA of Greater Boston locations. Sun Life recently expanded Fit to Win to Portland, Maine, in partnership with the Maine Celtics, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics.
“Throughout our relationship with the Celtics, we have pursued a shared goal of raising diabetes awareness and helping at-risk communities and the organizations that support them,” said David Healy, president of Sun Life U.S. “The YMCA of Greater Boston provides many valuable services and programs to those in need, which aligns with our focus of helping people access care and live healthier lives. We are proud to support the YMCA, and love that we get to do this with the Boston Celtics, who never fail to rack up an impressive number of dunks each year.”
Over 12 years the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign has raised more than $1.2 million for the YMCA of Greater Boston’s health, fitness and nutrition programs. These include the Healthy Habits program, a 10-week educational course that teaches nutrition, fitness, and wellness lifestyle habits, with the goal of reducing the risk of diabetes. The program has served thousands of individuals throughout Greater Boston.
