ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic continue to align themselves with partners, who not only make an impact in their respective fields, but also are champions in the local community.
The Magic carried on that tradition on Wednesday when they announced a new, multi-year partnership with Florida Technical College (FTC) to become the Official Technical College of the Orlando Magic.
As part of the partnership, the two will join community efforts to assist food insecure families in Central Florida by teaming up with Magic forward Jonathan Isaac and Project Life.
"The Orlando Magic and Florida Technical College have a shared commitment to both education and the Central Florida community," said Magic President of Business Operations Charles Freeman. "We welcome FTC to our partnership family and look forward to working with them as they join us in the fight against hunger."
The Magic, Isaac and FTC's hunger-relief efforts through Project Life include providing resources along with hot meals to areas of the Orlando community most profoundly affected by the coronavirus.
“(Project Life) has been feeding families and young kids throughout this coronavirus (pandemic),” Isaac said. “They’ve been doing a fantastic job. To this point, it’s been about 25,000 meals fed to kids in the community.”
Florida Technical College students will prepare meals that will be donated to Project Life. The students and FTC staff will also assist in the distribution of those meals to the community.
“I’m especially pleased to be able to partner with the ‘Minister of Defense,’ Jontahan Isaac, with Project Life and J.U.M.P. Ministries,” said James Michael Burkett, President of Florida Technical College.
Isaac, a former Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment award winner, is a sponsor of Project Life's COVID-19 Ready, Set, Feed program (ProjectLifeNow.org), which provides free meals daily to families in need. In addition to providing necessary supplies, Isaac assists in handing out the food and other items to families.
“We’re going to stay vigilant in our community to make sure everybody gets through this together,” Isaac said.
Additional partnership elements include a job shadow program with the Magic, providing students the opportunity to learn from the Magic's "team behind the team."
The students will gain additional insights and first-hand knowledge from Magic staff members in the areas of health and wellness, culinary arts, hospitality and business operations. Florida Technical College and the Magic will also work together to recognize students that excel in their programs during games next season.
“We know that one of the most significant ways we can contribute to the success and advancement of our communities is by working alongside organizations with a deep passion to serve. In the Orlando Magic, we found an extraordinary partner that shares our mission and commitment to transform communities across Central Florida,” said Burkett. “The partnership enhances the educational experience of our students, while fostering a strong culture of giving. At FTC we take great pride in creating well-rounded professionals, which is critical to achieving career success. “
FTC, recognized by the Orlando Business Journal for creating a remarkable atmosphere of inclusion, recently launched a campaign in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The initiative included delivering personal protective equipment to first responders across Florida, preparing meals for senior citizens and the creation of the Healthcare Heroes Scholarship, an incentive for students considering pursuing a career in the healthcare field.
FTC offers associate and bachelor's degrees and diploma programs in a range of professions including healthcare, construction trades, computer networking, culinary arts and cosmetology. Campuses are located in seven cities across Central and South Florida.
The Magic and the DeVos family have also continued to display their commitment to the Central Florida community. The Magic, players, coaches and its teams are focused on joining together to help those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The efforts include: