Eric LeGrand, who played football with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights After sustaining a spinal injury in 2010, he was forced to close his coffee shop. New Jersey DevilsThanks to the program to support Black entrepreneurs, ‘player helmets were made during road games.
On Thursday, the Devils announced that LeGrand Coffee House, Woodbridge, New Jersey won the Buy Black Partnership for the club’s 2022-23 NHL season. Prudential Financial donated the advertising space on road helmets. Prudential Financial also offers financial wellness counseling to LeGrand. The Devils will have LeGrand Coffee House products at their home games.
According to the Devils, their Buy Black Partnership received more applications in 2022 than any other year of the program.
“Our selection committee had another extremely difficult choice, but to a person, Eric’s story was impactful, powerful and resonated with everyone and we are proud to partner with Prudential Financial to take LeGrand Coffee House to its highest levels of success,” said New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center president Jake Reynolds.
LeGrand was paralysed from the neck down after he was hurt while making a tackle in a Rutgers match. Since then, he has regained sensation throughout his body and movement in his shoulders.
LeGrand began to do motivational speaking, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship after his 2010 accident. Team LeGrand has raised over $1 million for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. LeGrand was awarded the Jimmy V Award For Perseverance at 2012 ESPY Awards. In 2017, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, receiving the Warrior Award.
LeGrand Coffee House opened May 2022.
The logo of “LeGrand Coffee House”, will be displayed on the helmets of each team’s away games. This brand exposure will be the Devils’ Buy Black Partnership winner for the first time. It will also allow them to expand their brand into all North American cities they visit during the 2022-23 NHL Season.