There couldn’t have come a better time for the Boxing Wives and Girlfriends Association to truly live out its mission statement.
As the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought the world to a standstill, efforts to combat the deadly disease has proven troublesome particularly in the United States. In addition to medical personnel and essential workers being overwhelmed with workload, there has existed a nationwide concern over a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
In the wake of the global crisis, the Boxing Wives and Girlfriends Association (BWA) has shifted its cause and has stepped up for the cause. The organization—founded by reality star Telli Swift, the fiancée of former heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41KOs)—announced its availability of BWA-branded equipment to be made available to the public.
“Those affected by the corona virus are on our minds and in our prayers,” said Swift. “We have already purchased 500 reusable masks and 35,000 gloves to help end the spread of this virus. This pandemic will continue to escalate if we don't protect ourselves, and self quarantine.
“There is hope. We have secured supplies to help those who need it most.”
The primary goal of the non-profit organization—which is comprised of wives and girlfriends of active and retired boxers—is “to have an alliance of women within a network who are fully committed to collectively affect change within themselves as well as their surrounding communities.”
Its philanthropic efforts has taken on an entirely new meaning, providing a service far and beyond what the BWA has traditionally represented. The group’s website has made the equipment available, with each charitable donation resulting in the organization paying it forward in form of a mask passed along to a frontline worker in the name of the donor.
Additionally, BWA has teamed up with RX Water—the official water of the World Boxing Council—to deliver alkaline water to all such personnel.
“These supplies will go to medical professionals, package delivery workers, and frontline employees in the hardest hit areas of the U.S.,” notes Swift. “The more money we raise, the more supplies we can get! Additionally, we are partnering with @drinkrxwater to deliver water to those on the front line.
“Those helping us survive need our help during these important times!
Swift and Wilder have been together since 2015. Her organization has served as a prominent fixture in communities and boxing events, taking on numerous causes including awareness of spina bifida—a birth defect in which the baby's spinal cord never fully develops. Wilder's oldest daughter, Naieya was born with the condition in 2005, at which time Wilder—who won a Bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and reigned as heavyweight titlist from January 2015 through this past February—first took up the sport.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox