The sky above Oakland was heavy with gray clouds, a gentle drizzle creating patterns on Steph Curry’s windshield as he navigated the city’s quiet streets. Exhausted from a rigorous training session with the Golden State Warriors, Curry decided on an unfamiliar shortcut through a modest neighborhood to escape traffic.
As Curry’s Porsche idled at a red light, he noticed a young boy sitting determinedly at a folding table across the street. The child wore a worn Warriors jersey—number 30, Curry’s number—and carefully arranged sweets in front of a sign reading, “Sweets $2 Help My Mom.” Curry felt an unexpected tug at his heart.
Curiosity won out over his exhaustion. He pulled over, donned sunglasses to maintain anonymity, and approached the table. The boy immediately straightened, eager yet polite. “Hey, what are you selling?” Curry asked with warmth.
“Homemade brownies and cookies, sir,” the boy replied earnestly. “My grandma taught me.”
“What’s your name?”
“Marcus,” he said, extending a small hand formally.
“Why are you selling sweets in the rain, Marcus?”
Marcus hesitated, then bravely explained, “To buy medicine for my mom. She has diabetes and lost her health insurance when she was fired. Her insulin costs almost $300.”
The boy’s honesty and maturity struck Curry deeply. Just then, recognition flashed in Marcus’s eyes. “Wait… are you Steph Curry?”
Smiling softly, Steph nodded. Marcus’s eyes widened in disbelief, tears brimming. “My mom and I watch all your games. It’s the only thing we do together now since she works so much.”
Moved by Marcus’s determination, Curry took out his wallet. “I’ll buy all your sweets,” he said, handing Marcus a hundred-dollar bill.
Marcus protested, “That’s too much!”
“No, Marcus,” Curry said gently, “it’s exactly right.” Before leaving, he took Marcus’s address and phone number, promising, “I’ll do more than just buy sweets.”
That evening, Angela Davis returned home exhausted from her double shifts, greeted enthusiastically by Marcus. “Mom, you won’t believe who bought my sweets! Steph Curry!”
Angela smiled wearily, assuming it was another of Marcus’s imaginative stories. But when Marcus revealed the hundred-dollar bill, concern filled her eyes. “Marcus, you know we shouldn’t accept money from strangers.”
“But Mom, it was Curry! He took our address and phone number!”
Angela’s heart raced with uncertainty, hope battling caution.
Meanwhile, at home, Curry shared the day’s events with his wife, Aisha. “The kid wasn’t begging. He was trying to help his mom in any way he could,” Curry explained thoughtfully. Determined to make a lasting difference, he began formulating a plan.
The next day, Angela’s phone rang. Hesitantly, she answered, stunned by the voice on the other end. “Angela Davis? This is Steph Curry. I’d like to visit you today.”
Within hours, Curry discreetly arrived at their small apartment. Amidst initial awkwardness, Steph noticed Angela’s unfinished nursing degree on a shelf. Her eyes welled up. “I had two semesters left but had to quit. Costs. Marcus needed me.”
Impressed by Marcus’s intelligence and Angela’s resilience, Curry resolved to take action beyond mere charity. Over the next two weeks, he worked tirelessly, collaborating with his foundation and local organizations to create “Beyond the Game,” a program offering scholarships, healthcare support, and employment assistance to families in crisis.
Angela and Marcus soon received a formal invitation to the Curry Foundation. Nervous yet hopeful, they arrived dressed in their best. Aisha greeted them warmly, guiding them to a conference room filled with influential community members. Curry stood, welcoming them.
“Angela, Marcus, welcome to the Beyond the Game program. This isn’t about charity, it’s about recognizing courage,” he explained.
One by one, individuals introduced life-changing opportunities. Angela received affordable insulin, full medical care, and a flexible administrative job with tuition assistance to finish her nursing degree. Marcus was awarded a full scholarship to an advanced science academy.
Angela, overcome with emotion, spoke tearfully. “You don’t understand what it means to be given dignity, to earn our future through our own efforts.”
In six transformative months, their lives shifted dramatically. Angela’s health improved significantly; she excelled at her new job while pursuing her degree. Marcus thrived academically, earning recognition for a project combining mathematics with basketball strategies.
That season, Angela and Marcus attended a Warriors game as VIP guests. Their journey was shared on the arena’s big screen, drawing applause and support from thousands.
After the game, Marcus presented Curry with a box of homemade brownies. “Maybe you should open a bakery someday,” Curry joked gently.
“Actually,” Marcus responded thoughtfully, “I want to be a doctor or engineer—to help people, like you did.”
As mother and son departed hand-in-hand, Curry reflected deeply. He had intended to help a struggling family; instead, their strength and dignity inspired him profoundly, sparking a ripple effect of kindness far beyond basketball. The true miracle, Curry realized, was how one small act of compassion had ignited lasting hope, proving that real change comes from connections forged by empathy and courage.
Stephen Curry surprises Oakland students for play day: ‘Active lifestyles are huge for kids’
The four-time NBA champion said even 30 seconds can change a kids life.
Even in the offseason, Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry is putting up big points with local fans.
Curry surprised a handful of students in Oakland, California, earlier this week with his Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation for an unforgettable day of play — and San Francisco ABC station KGO was there to capture the sights and sounds of the special afternoon.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
KGO
As a group of students from Elmhurst United Middle School posed for a picture in front of the parked Eat.Learn.Play. bus, the four-time NBA champion emerged in the background, yelling, “I’m smiling, say ‘cheese.'”
The event represented all three pillars of Curry’s nonprofit mission.
“We’re on a playground, so we’re gonna play. We’ve got books, so we’ll read and learn. And then we got fresh produce and items they can take home for the eat portion, so we’re really hitting all three pillars,” he told KGO’s Chris Alvarez.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
KGO
“Whether its 30 seconds or 30 minutes that you spend with a kid, it can change something in their lives,” Curry continued. “Whether they feel seen or they’ve been down and needed a little excitement in their lives or a dance break, maybe they find something that they can see in me and just be able to lock eyes with them, shake their hand or give ’em a high five [to] lift them up … when those moments present themselves, I enjoy to the fullest.”
He added, “I had many opportunities when I was growing up where you meet somebody you look up to, or see somebody go out of their way to make you feel seen and feel special, and those are imprints that hopefully last forever.”
After the initial surprise, the Bay Area humanitarian headed to the soccer field to get moving and coach the kids with drills and games.
“Healthy, active lifestyles are huge for kids just to have a solid balance and to find their true inner child — that’s a big part of identifying your sense of identity, your confidence,” he said. “The sense of community and being able to play with other kids from all different backgrounds, different walks of life, different ages, it’s just about self discovery.”
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
KGO
The Akron, Ohio, native also reflected on his own upbringing.
“I was fortunate enough to not have to worry about ‘Where can I go to shoot hoops or find kids that were my age that could throw the football around or play baseball with?’ … You realize how much you learn in those environments and every kid deserves that,” he said. “So, we’re trying to find creative ways to implement that here in the Oakland community, whether it’s refurbishing playgrounds or sponsoring programs that are providing positive coaching and resources … all those things matter, and I think it’s a good balance to make sure these kids have as much fun as possible.”
The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which Curry founded with his wife Ayesha in 2019, is filled with like-minded leaders who Curry said are “taking the vision of we want” and “connecting with the community.” He said the organization is “most proud of staying true to who we are and what we’re doing across those three pillars.”
“What we do, we do extremely well, and we know that that’s going to continue to change lives and the kids that we want to support,” he said.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
KGO
Eat.Learn.Play. has staple events with programming throughout the year from summer through the holidays, including Christmas with the Curry’s, a charity golf tournament with WorkDay, and more sponsored events.
“We just have so many people that believe in us and it’s not just because of who me and Ayesha are, it’s because of the work that we’re doing and what the E.L.P. stands for — and I think that’s special,” Curry added.
