Ayton family raising money for charity through family recipes

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton and his mother, Andrea Ayton, have partnered with Arizona restaurants to raise money for charity.

The partnership includes serving a couple of Ayton family recipes at The Henry and Culinary Dropout locations in Arizona. One Jamaican-Bahamian dish joins the menu Wednesday, where it will remain until replaced by a different Andrea Ayton dish from January to April.

“It’s crazy to know that my mom has a whole dish in a restaurant that is so highly valued,” Deandre Ayton said to Andscape’s Marc Spears. “She was a giving person when we were back in Nassau and didn’t have nothing.”

For each Ayton dish purchased, 10% of the proceeds go to Helping Hands for Single Moms. This charity offers help to low-income single mothers.

“Our hearts go out to single moms,” Andrea Ayton said. “My mom was a single mom. I believe it is just so good to give back to them, especially, and the kids.

“I met some of the moms. They’re nice people.”

CEO of Helping Hands for Single Moms Chris Coffman hopes the help from the Aytons will raise awareness about the organization.

“Somebody is sitting at dinner and they see information about the organization and maybe they’re interested in helping single moms,” Coffman said. “And suddenly, they’re attracted to our organization and what we do …”

The Ayton family is a frequent helper for the organization and have been for several years.

Also, Andrea Ayton won the My Mom, My Hero Award in December 2021 for her charity work for Helping Hands for Single Moms.

“That is her passion. Her thing. Caring,” Deandre Ayton said. “Now she has a platform where she can really show what she can do.”