Pitching In When Our Community Needs Us The Most — Marlins Impact Year in Review
When the global pandemic reached South Florida, the Miami Marlins and Miami Marlins Foundation launched a timely and comprehensive relief program to provide support to our South Florida community. Shortly after Spring Training was paused, the Marlins jumped into action, initiating relief efforts within two weeks. An assessment of our community needs allowed us to focus on making an impact in the following areas: food security, educational support, COVID-19 testing and PPE, and financial support and resources.
As our local community quickly emerged as one of the nation’s most susceptible areas for the virus, immediate help was needed. Our goal was to provide continuous support and resources that aligned with our Foundation pillars of wellness, empowerment and Youth Baseball & Softball.
Our efforts in supporting South Florida during this unprecedented time extended from Marlins Park to the neighboring communities, with a focus on addressing the assessed needs. The Miami Marlins Foundation, in conjunction with the Marlins organization, launched the Home Plate Meals Relief Fund on April 2 to address urgent food security needs across South Florida in light of COVID-19. With the recently completed week of Holiday Wishes, the year of impact on the local community provided more than 800,000 meals, 24,000 bottles of hand cleanser, and 20,000 face coverings.
The Relief Fund was established with an initial investment from the Foundation and a contribution from Miami Marlins partner Florida Blue. The funds were immediately invested into the South Florida community with the launch of weekly drive-thru food distributions in partnership with Farm Share, Deliver Lean and Feeding South Florida. During our community’s most dire times, we were hosting three distributions per week with assistance from Marlins Alumni members and front office staff.
The Foundation’s scheduled cadence of drive-thru food distributions also extended beyond Marlins Park, with remote distributions serving those in need in local underserved communities. Food distributions were adjusted as needed and provided additional resources to our neighbors, including face masks, hand sanitizers, census information and vote-by-mail applications.
With distributions taking place on the east side of the ballpark, the Marlins also made available the parking lots on the west side Marlins Park to serve the community. The organization worked with Miami-Dade County to operate a much-needed collection testing site, which helped serve more than 150,000 residents undergo tests for the deadly virus.
In addition to distributing resources from Marlins Park, the Marlins organized online support for our community’s future all-stars. With in-person learning for the 2019–20 school year abruptly halted, the Marlins launched Billy’s Activity Zone, providing fun and engaging at-home activities for students, teachers and parents. As schools turned to distance learning, Billy’s Activity Zone ensured productive days for the entire family by keeping kids engaged with baseball-themed educational and wellness activities.
As the pandemic continued to spread and the need for PPE and face coverings grew, the Marlins created a first-of-its-kind partnership in Major League Baseball. Along with WRECares, the charitable arm of World Red Eye, the Marlins helped provide much-needed supplies to frontline heroes during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis. Nearly 1,000 items of clothing, including Marlins uniform jerseys and pants as well as cotton shirts, were donated to produce masks for the South Florida community. To date, more than 20,000 masks have been distributed to the local community.
During this unprecedented year, South Florida’s healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and police and fire departments emerged as the true heroes. The Marlins and Miami Marlins Foundation partnered with organizations and local small businesses to provide support and show appreciation for the dedication and efforts by providing these outstanding individuals with surprise complimentary meals during the summer. And, thanks to a partnership with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the Marlins held a special meal distribution to members of the hospitality and service industry across the state of Florida. The Marlins also surprised senior citizens at various South Florida supermarkets by covering the costs of their groceries.
Leading up to Election Day 2020, the organization launched the Promote The Vote Auction with proceeds benefitting the Foundation’s Feed The Polls initiative, which aims to ensure food security issues did not stand in the way of our community’s ability to cast a ballot. On Election Day — November 3, our staff and Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson volunteered to distribute 4,000 meals at select polling locations in Liberty City and Little Havana for some of our most at-risk community members.
In August, the Marlins and Miami Marlins Foundation announced a $420,000 donation to the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF), which will award an annual scholarship in perpetuity to a deserving outstanding African American student from South Florida that demonstrates Jackie Robinson’s nine values.
With a focus on empowering South Florida youth, the Marlins partnered with the Jackie Robinson Foundation to create an endowment, which will yield a $20,000 annual scholarship beginning in fall 2021 thanks to an additional $20,000 donation from the Marlins.
Also in August and with a focus on providing academic opportunities for local youth, the organization announced a $30,000 donation to Miami Dade College to establish the Miami Marlins First Generation Scholarship Endowment. The program will provide financial support to qualified undergraduate MDC students who are the first in their families to attend college. The endowment generates student awards for scholarships in perpetuity.
Despite the unprecedented year, Impact Week presented by UKG returned, primarily consisting of virtual activities to provide a health and safe environment for all. The annual event aims at making a difference in the South Florida community, with a focus on Wellness, Empowerment, and Youth Baseball and Softball.
Prior the unexpected disruption to the year, Marlins players dedicated their time to the local youth in our community by visiting schools, hospitals and community partners. In early February, Miguel Rojas visited John I. Smith Elementary School to surprise the students with laptops donated to the school by the Miami Marlins Foundation. A few days later, the Marlins 40-man roster dispersed across South Florida, making an impact and spreading smiles ahead of FanFest 2020.
During Spring Training, 30 local youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County, Blanche Ely High School, and S.T.A.M.P. Mentoring for a Black History Month-themed visit to the Marlins Player Development & Scouting Complex in Jupiter. Executives, coaches and players from the Marlins led a discussion with the group about the importance and impact of Jackie Robinson. The group was also able to get up-close with Marlins players during batting practice, get a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and meet with Marlins CEO Derek Jeter.
In celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, the organization and the Foundation hosted various activities across the South Florida community as well as virtually. Through the Home Plate Meals Relief Fund, a drive-thru food distribution was held in Liberty City for 500 households, which also received an educational pamphlet about Jackie Robinson. With partner Bridge to Hope, the Miami Marlins Foundation provide food deliveries to the homes of families from KIPP Sunrise. Marlins players, coaches and alumni joined together for Connect to 42, a virtual roundtable conversation about the impact of Jackie Robinson throughout the generations.
The Marlins organization is committed to be the community’s team, and will continuously stand with our neighbors through the good times and challenging times. For the latest updates and news on the Marlins Impact we are making across South Florida, visit MarlinsImpact.org.
