HEAT Players, Coaches & HEAT Wives Club Join Goya and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida To Spread Holiday Cheer
MIAMI, 11/19 Partnering with presenting sponsors Goya Foods and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, as well as the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, Miami HEAT players, coaches and the HEAT Wives Club look forward to making this Thanksgiving a special day for over 1,000 families in the City of Miami for its annual HEAT Thanksgiving Celebration. The event, in its 18th year, will take place on Monday, November 23, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the central hub of the festivities being held at the Miami Rescue Mission located at 2020 NW 1st Avenue in Miami.
All residents of the area are invited to enjoy the block-party carnival, but the event will be especially meaningful for a select group of approximately 600 underprivileged families, the majority of which have been pre-selected by different government and community-based organizations and agencies, such as the City of Miami N.E.T. (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) Offices and the Office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson, Community Partnership for Homeless, just to name a few. Those families will each receive a frozen turkey and all the Thanksgiving trimmings from the HEAT, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida while the canned goods will be provided by Goya. Levy Cares, the charitable foundation of Levy Restaurants, which is the catering division of the AmericanAirlines Arena, will provide 275 hot meals to the residents of the Miami Rescue Mission (MRM). The HEAT and the MRM will also provide over 1,000 hot dogs and drinks to the communitys general public at the block party event.
This years celebration is unique from previous years in that the reach of the event will extend well beyond the Overtown/Wynwood area to help touch those in need in communities such as Little Havana, Little Haiti, Hialeah, Coconut Grove and as far north as the City of Ft. Lauderdale. Other beneficiaries of the event include: SafeSpace domestic violence shelter, His House Childrens Home, the families of the three HEAT Academy schools, Amigos for Kids, and New Journeys Transitional Home.
In addition, HEAT players and staff will be interacting with children from the HEAT Academy at Dunbar Elementary during the festivities. Activities will include board games, and arts and crafts. HEAT players are also scheduled to work concessions and other activity stations.
The HEAT Dancers, Burnie the HEAT mascot, DJ Irie and the Xtreme Team will entertain families with special performances throughout the afternoon. In addition, the guests will be treated to games, activities, inflatables, a visit by the HEAT Fireball Express, a vintage 1952 interactive fire truck and prizes and giveaways from 103.5 FM The Beat.
The Miami HEAT is proud to welcome ASSIST-CARD Card as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2009-10 season.