MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Three South Florida sports teams came together to feed a need in the community by organizing their respective Thanksgiving food drives.
The pandemic couldn’t slow down South Florida’s top three sports teams from doing their part to help the community, as the Miami Dolphins made sure to score touchdowns with families in Miami Gardens by providing 850 boxed meals filled with delicious sides and a nice turkey.
“It’s an opportunity for you to really sit down with your family and to give thanks and to be happy and to just relax for a moment,” Dolphins Senior Director of Community Affairs Leslie Nixon said. “Having the burden of trying to figure out where your next meal is gonna come from, how you’re gonna pay the bills is really tough. Again, if we can take that burden off a family member’s plate and just allow them to enjoy each other’s company, that’s really what Thanksgiving means.”
The Miami Marlins joined forces with Feeding South Florida to dish out 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners. Sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the Marlins’ 12th Annual Home Plate Meals Thanksgiving distribution is something Derek Jeter and the team feels is a big hit for the community during the holidays.
“This has always been one of our favorite times of the year to give back, and considering everything that’s gone on this year, it’s a little extra meaningful,” Jeter said. “We said early on right when we took over this organization that we wanted to be this community’s team, and part of that is being here to support the community.”
For two decades, Miami Heat Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning provided hundreds of hearty meals with all the trimmings where no virus was going to stop the tradition for the Awesome 33 Thanksgiving Giveaway.
“Being able to provide that during a very, very difficult time, during a very devastating pandemic, to be able to provide the relief and support to all the 300 families is truly a blessing,” said Mourning.
The Dolphins said they’ll give out almost 22,000 meals by Thanksgiving Day.
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