Before the sold-out arenas and the global platform, the heart of NBA champion Kevin Durant's legacy was forged in the kitchen of his grandmother’s home. There, he learned a fundamental truth: a core part of his family's identity and Christian beliefs was the commitment to giving back and assisting those who were less fortunate.

This deeply rooted culture of compassion is the driving force behind the Durant Family Turkey Meal Giveaway, which on Nov. 22 will provide hundreds of families with meals for the holiday. The drive-thru event at Bishop McNamara High School from 9 a.m. to noon, or until all supplies are gone, is open to anyone in the DMV area and is first-come, first-served.

Wanda Durant, CEO and President of The Durant Family Foundation, sat down to discuss the annual event and the organization's wider mission. She confirms that this act of service is not new, but rather an inheritance.

“This actually is a part of who we are as a family, as a Durant family,” Durant said. She recounts stories of her grandmother, Esther Durant, who would cook meals and welcome everyone in the neighborhood. “Those who were able to be blessed by her meals would talk about how good my grandmother cooked.”

The tradition continued with her mother, Barbara Durant-Davis, who volunteered and helped neighbors with groceries. Durant instilled that same value in her sons early on.

“I remember when my sons were younger, long before Kevin became an NBA player with this type of platform, [we] would make groceries for families in need, and we didn't have a lot,” Durant noted. “It's just always been a part of who we are as a family, and now that he's on this platform and he can generate partners who can help us make a big difference in the community, it was just inevitable that we do this.”

Durant attributes the family’s unwavering commitment to giving back, even during times of scarcity, to faith and community values. “They were women of faith, Christian women,” she stated. “That's a part of being a Christian is supplying the needs of those who are facing challenges and having hard times. It was just a community thing. And I think culturally, that's who we are.”

A Growing Expectation and Deeper Need

The annual giveaway has become a highly anticipated event in the community. Durant is often asked as early as August if the foundation will be giving away turkeys and food boxes. “They're expecting it now, and I'm grateful for that,” she said. “That means that we're making an impact in the community.”

Durant noted that the need for support is particularly acute this year due to current economic pressures. “So many people in our area have been depressed by the government shutdown, by the layoffs and SNAP program and so many other things that are going on,” she explained. 

This necessity motivated the foundation to make the event even larger this year, bringing together community stakeholders, local legislature, and state legislature to support the effort.

As the chief executive, Durant remains on the front lines, greeting and serving the recipients. She spoke about the personal interactions that warm her heart. While she finds every moment touching, one instance particularly stood out: a family who came a couple of years ago without a car.

“They couldn't really take their items because they didn't have anything to transport them, and that really broke our hearts,” Durant recalled.

This year, DFF made sure to address the issue for "walk-up" community members who cannot drive. 

“We decided to make sure for the walk-up community to have a place to store their bags and we got them rolling carts so they could take their rolling carts [and] they can use them endlessly,” she said. Durant also described how the community takes care of its own, with "community drivers" picking up boxes for seniors who cannot leave their homes.

The Village Effect and Measuring Impact

For Durant, the foundation’s success is not primarily measured by data, but by the community’s genuine response. “How I measure it is when I'm out in the community, when I'm just out living my life and people come up to me and talk about the things that our family does in the community and how important it is and how they look forward to it and how they know that we're going to be there,” she stated.

The collaboration among corporate partners, local stakeholders, and government is central to the mission. “It says just that, that it takes all of us to ensure that we're all okay,” Durant said. She challenges the notion that need has a "certain look," noting that even a federal worker with over 20 years of experience can face challenges during government layoffs. “We just don't have a preconceived notion of what not being OK looks like. And so that's one of the things that's so special to me is that we're just here to serve the community.”

The Turkey Meal Giveaway is only one aspect of the foundation's wide-ranging efforts. 

DFF focuses on several key pillars:

Build a Court and They Will Ball: Constructing basketball courts globally to teach youth teamwork, dedication, and commitment through organized sports.

College Track: A rigorous 10-year college preparatory program for first-generation college students, following them from the ninth grade through the completion of their bachelor's degree.

Team Durant AAU Basketball: An elite AAU program that requires strict academic compliance for team membership.

Real MVP Studios: Programs and seminars that help youth realize career paths associated with their skills and interests, helping students learn "how to dream and imagine."

Supporting the Next Generation

Beyond the foundation, Durant is also focused on literacy through her involvement as President of O.U.R. Mothers Incorporated (Our United Resources), an organization of mothers of current and former NBA players. They are developing a national program called "In the Paint Readers" to combat the academic challenges faced by students since the shift to virtual learning.

“We are creating a national program to help young people to learn to love and to read more,” she explained. The initiative is working with consultants to meld academic principles with technology and plans to adopt schools in NBA cities to partner with teams.

Ultimately, Durant’s motivation is simple: service. 

“I never thought that this would be my life, like being a philanthropist and giving back, that's a part of who I am, and I just didn't realize it was going to be, God was going to utilize me in this way,” Durant shared. “I'm just grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

Those interested in partnering or volunteering with The Durant Family Foundation can visit the foundation's website or contact the Chief Programming Officer at Roderic@DurantFCF.org.