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Bobcats to Put Full Court Press on Hunger as Thanksgiving Nears
November 14, 2011
Bobcats Sports & Entertainment (BSE) President & COO Fred Whitfield today unveiled the organization’s efforts to fight hunger during the Thanksgiving holiday with nine events in a 10-day period beginning tomorrow.
"Hunger is one of the key pillars on which we base our Cats Care community initiative," Whitfield said. "It is one of the most important issues facing our community, and while we are committed to fighting hunger year-round, we feel it is especially important that families not go hungry during the holiday season."
This year’s events begin on Tuesday, November 15, with the annual Hoops For Hope Dinner presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). BSE personnel, including Whitfield and members of the Bobcats coaching staff, will serve a Thanksgiving meal to underserved children and their families supported by A Child’s Place and Charlotte Family Housing at Strike City.
On Thursday, November 17, BSE and BCBSNC will partner to build a structure composed of non-perishable food items in the Trade Street lobby of Time Warner Cable Arena to raise awareness about hunger and the need for donations to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. This year’s structure, which was designed by architects from Odell Associates, will resemble a mobile pantry and will include more than 29,000 cans of food. Anyone donating more than 10 canned food items to the accompanying collection bins will receive a Cats Care gift item.
The BSE staff will participate in a Cats Care Day of Service sponsored by BCBSNC on Monday, November 21, that will include serving breakfast at the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Center of Hope shelter for women and children, preparing and distributing meals for the elderly with Friendship Trays and sorting food at Second Harvest Food Bank. The following day, that food will make its way from Second Harvest Food Bank to Time Warner Cable Arena, where 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for families of four will be handed out to low-income families that will be given vouchers in advance by the organization’s community partners. Joining BSE and Second Harvest in the effort are Coca-Cola, which is donating 1,000 two-liter bottles of Minute Maid lemonade, and Paxton Trucking, which is providing the trucks to transfer and deliver the food.
In addition, BSE will donate 200 turkeys to WFNZ’s Street Turkeys on Wednesday, November 23, and will assist with collecting additional donations at WFNZ’s Doghouse. On Thanksgiving Day, Whitfield will lead a group of BSE staff serving dinner at Charlotte’s Urban Ministry Center.
Bobcats Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Bobcats and operates Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena. Through its Cats Care initiative, BSE is committed to helping the needs of the community in the areas of education, hunger and wellness. BSE staff are actively engaged in the community, volunteering their time and efforts to serve these key areas.
