Community
HEAT Social Responsibility: Initiatives
HEAT Thanksgiving Celebration
The annual HEAT Thanksgiving Celebration brings the entire HEAT Group together for a memorable day of giving. This event consists of a block-party to help distribute approximately 600 thanksgiving baskets to underserved families and provide hot meals to 450 residents of the Miami Rescue Mission, an organization that provides various services to the homeless and those in need throughout Miami-Dade County. Families are pre-selected by different local government and community-based organizations to receive an entire Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings from the HEAT, courtesy of Florida Blue, the state’s Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan.
HEAT Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
With the largest Hispanic season ticket fan base in the NBA, the Miami HEAT Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration supported by Florida Blue and Bally Sports Sun, has engaged the Hispanic community for the past seventeen years with an annual HEAT Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration during the month of October. The event consists of a fun-filled day of festivities that includes interaction with HEAT Players, HEAT Dancers, the Hoop Troop and Burnie the mascot.
RE-HEAT Program
The Re-HEAT program, in partnership with Levy Restaurants and the Kaseya Center, distributes unserved food from all HEAT home games and concerts to homeless shelters in the South Florida area. Beneficiary organizations include the Miami Rescue Mission, Chapman Partnership, Camillus House and Lotus House Women's Shelter. During all of our 2023-2024 events, we were able to donate about 6,869 pounds of unserved food, for an average of 155 pounds of food per game or concert. Through the assistance of supporting partner Levy Cares, to date over 82,000 pounds of food have been distributed to Re-HEAT beneficiaries.
HEAT Beach Sweep
HEAT Beach Sweep, presented by Amerant Bank, is an annual pro-conservation campaign and serves as the annual “Green Initiative” for the HEAT, leveraging the combined weight of the league, teams, players and partners to generate awareness and raise funds in support of environmental protection. HEAT Beach Sweep, which involves staff from The HEAT Group and Amerant Bank, has grown to encompass all HEAT Group GREEN efforts in the community that revolve around generating awareness for the protection and sustainability of the environment.
Random Acts Of HEAT
Random Acts of HEAT is a series of good deeds in the South Florida community meant to inspire individuals, families, organizations and communities to reciprocate kindness through random acts of their own.
LEED Certification
The Kaseya Center, which celebrated it's 23rd anniversary year in 2023, continues to blaze a trail for best practices and industry firsts. As part of Green Week in April 2009, the Kaseya Center announced that it was awarded LEED Certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).The Kaseya Center was one of the first two venues in the country to receive this prestigious designation by the USGBC. In January 2015, the Kaseya Center was awarded LEED Gold recertification by the USGBC, becoming the first venue in the world to receive LEED Gold recertification.
LEED is the USGBC's leading rating system for designing and constructing the world's greenest, most energy-efficient, and high performing buildings.
HEAT Veterans Day
This program is part of the team's on-going commitment to support U.S. servicemen and servicewomen at home and abroad through the Home Strong Initiative, and in conjunction with the NBA Hoops for Troops program.
HEAT Loud And Proud
As long-time supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, the HEAT and the Kaseya Center remain steadfastly committed to embracing the diversity that makes Miami a unique and special city. Each April, the Miami HEAT takes part in the Miami Beach Pride Parade to celebrate diversity & inclusion. The parade is part of the weeklong celebration that brings together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their friends, allies, and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ community. There are over 100 HEAT staff and guests that participate each year. The parade starts at 5th & Ocean Drive and concludes at 15th & Ocean Drive.
Miami HEAT Wheels
In conjunction with the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department - Therapeutic Recreation & Inclusion, the Miami HEAT offers support for the Miami HEAT Wheels, an adult wheelchair basketball team wherein players encourage and demonstrate how those with disabilities lead active and productive lives. The Miami HEAT Wheels is a competitive wheelchair basketball team in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). The Miami HEAT Wheels compete at the Division III level in the Florida Wheelchair Basketball Conference. The adult wheelchair basketball team competes in regional and national tournaments associated with the NWBA. On April 19, 2015, the Miami HEAT Wheels won their very first championship title in Division III of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. For additional information on the team please contact the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, Therapeutic Recreation & Inclusion Division at 305-755-7848