The sneaker and trading card collection will be auctioned off to support the Power Forward Small Business Grant program which provides financial grants and marketing and design resources to help business grow and thrive
To celebrate National Small Business Week, Vistaprint and 4-time NBA All-Star Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker have partnered to create a limited-edition capsule collection, which includes a one-of-one Panini trading card and a one-of-one pair of custom, game-worn sneakers. The collection will be up for auction starting at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 9 until 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 12 through the ‘I Got It’ mobile app. All proceeds from the auction will support the Power Forward Small Business Grant program, which aims to create a lasting impact through the economic empowerment of Black-owned small businesses across New England. Vistaprint and the Celtics will cap off National Small Business Week by dedicating their home game on Sunday to small businesses throughout the Boston and New England community. Vistaprint and the Celtics have committed $1 million to the Power Forward Small Business Grant program to-date, and through this collaboration with Walker the contributions will be bolstered with proceeds from the auction. Walker has also committed to donate his partnership fee to support the program and Vistaprint will match his donation.
Commissioned by Soems, a Black Boston-based artist, the custom Jordan 35 sneaker design will spotlight some of Walker’s favorite Black-owned businesses in Boston, including Mobar Cuts, The Urban Grape, Zaz and Murl’s Kitchen, in honor of National Small Business Week. Walker will autograph the sneakers following the game on Sunday night and they will be showcased within exclusively designed packaging that pays homage to the iconic parquet flooring at the TD Garden. The exclusive trading card will be autographed and feature a game worn Vistaprint jersey patch swatch embedded within.
“It’s clear Vistaprint is committed to leaving its imprint in the Boston and greater New England communities and I am excited to team up with them for this capsule collection which will support Black-owned small businesses,” said Walker. “Between the exclusive gear and the great cause, you won’t want to miss this auction.”
“Vistaprint’s partnership with the Celtics has at its core a shared passion for the small businesses of the New England area,” said Ricky Engelberg, CMO at Vistaprint. “Kemba Walker shares that same passion and we are thrilled to have Kemba partner with us to shine a light on some of his favorite small businesses in Boston.”
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Zaz -
Urban Grape -
Murl’s Kitchen -
Mobar
As the Official Jersey Patch Sponsor and exclusive Marketing and Design Partner of the Celtics, Vistaprint has collaborated with the team to create and execute meaningful activations within the community. Vistaprint and the Celtics partnered with the NAACP to implement the Power Forward Small Business Grant program and award transformative grants of $25,000 on a rolling basis. Through this initiative, grant recipients will have opportunities to be featured on national co-branded platforms along with receiving marketing and design resources customized to their specific needs.
For more information on the Power Forward Small Business Grant program, please visit: https://naacp.org/power-forward-small-business-grant/
About Vistaprint
Vistaprint is the marketing partner to millions of small businesses around the world, empowering each one to live their dreams. For more than 20 years, we have helped small businesses look and feel credible through high-quality marketing products and solutions that include signage, logo apparel, promotional products, face masks, flyers, postcards, business cards, websites and digital marketing. With Vistaprint, small businesses are able to create and customize their marketing with easy-to-use digital tools and design templates, or by receiving expert graphic design support. In 2020, Vistaprint acquired 99designs to expand its design offering via a worldwide community of more than 150,000 talented freelance designers to make it easy for designers and clients to work together to create designs they love. Vistaprint is focused on making great marketing and design accessible to every small business owner, allowing them to create a cohesive brand image for use in-store, online and on-the-go. To learn more, visit: www.vistaprint.com. Vistaprint is a Cimpress company (Nasdaq: CMPR).