CommunityNews

ORLANDO - Basketball, as you probably already know just by following the NBA, is a game played across the globe. No matter where you live, there’s likely a basketball hoop nearby. Some don’t have to travel very far if they have one in their driveway, backyard, or along the curb. Others prefer a more traditional basketball setting in a gymnasium with hardwood floors and the air conditioning cranked up. Then there are those who love the park vibes and playing under sunny skies on outdoor surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.&nbsp;

For someone like Devin Cannady, who eats, drinks and sleeps basketball, he’s just happy to play regardless. But, when he reflects on his basketball journey and what it took for him to make it to the NBA, what pops into his mind, first and foremost, are the hours he spent working on his game on the outdoor courts near where he grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana.&nbsp;

“Basketball is a universal game,” he said. “I think basketball can change lives. For me, I grew up playing on a court just like this. Mine had a lot more cracks in it, so I’m actually renovating one back home myself.

Coming from where I come from in Indiana, basketball was my life. Coming to a court – not even a gym with AC – but being outside at a court in your hometown community, that really is your first introduction, your first love for the game.”

Those courts did wonders for Cannady’s basketball development. Not just that, though, they were therapeutic for him. Just hanging around those courts gave him all the confidence in the world to shoot for the stars – literally and figuratively.&nbsp;

With those memories still fresh in his mind, Cannady was elated on Wednesday to help the Orlando Magic and AdventHealth unveil a newly refurbished outdoor basketball court at the Callahan Neighborhood Center in Parramore just down the road from the Amway Center.&nbsp;This was the second of 20 courts the Magic and AdventHealth plan to refurbish in the Central Florida area with the first one completed back in August at Wicklow Elementary.&nbsp;

Not only did he help inspire the 50 kids who attended the celebration by sharing with them some heartening stories about his basketball journey, including how he refused to let the ankle injury he suffered over a year ago knock him down, but the 26-year-old, along with Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw and coaches from The National Basketball Academy (TNBA), also showed them some basketball moves during a post-ceremony clinic on the new court.

“What I would like for them to have, and what they will have, is a place to have fun, a place to be safe, to grow relationships, (and) hopefully to chase their dreams,” he said. “That’s what a court like this was for me when I was their age.”

The inside of the Callahan Neighborhood Center got a makeover as well, as the Magic and AdventHealth unveiled a new game room complete with video game stations, study tables, foosball tables, an electric gaming table, a mural, and new sets of board games. They also surprised the center with $2,000 in sports and activity equipment and handed out Magic basketballs to each of the children.&nbsp;

Wednesday’s celebration was dear to Orlando District 5 Commissioner Regina Hill’s heart, as she grew up in the Parramore area and spent much of her childhood playing on this same basketball court. Grateful to the Magic and AdventHealth, she’s confident that these renovations are going to make an enormous impact on so many kids in this community.&nbsp;

“To see our children being able to utilize this court once again, especially after COVID when there was so much isolation, and be able to go into the game room and see new gaming systems and foosball tables and just reconnect them with their friends in the summer is quite humbling,” she said.

Making all this ‘magic’ happen are community partnerships like the one between the Magic and AdventHealth. Both care deeply about their local community and together they go above and beyond to help children realize their full potential.

“We’ve had a thirty-year partnership with the Magic and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’re able to do together in the community, and events like today represent an opportunity to make a difference in the health of kids and the health of communities – and that’s part of our mission,” AdventHealth Central Division President and CEO Brian Adams said.&nbsp;

As original Champion of the Community partners, AdventHealth has been working with the Magic on community projects that impact and benefit Central Florida.&nbsp;Magic “Champion of the Community” partners represent organizations that are committed to improving the lives of all Central Floridians.&nbsp;Since the Magic and AdventHealth partnership began in back in 1989, they continue to grow their approach in community programming, unparalleled branding and category exclusivity in the area of healthcare while expanding their commitment to the local community.&nbsp;

In addition to their work in the community, construction is nearly complete on the new AdventHealth Training Center and medical complex. The $70 million facility marks the latest investment in the Parramore community and is slated to open in 2022. Together, AdventHealth and the Magic are building an innovative health and wellness model that brings whole-person medicine, science and research together to optimize sports performance, and then bring those learnings to the broader community.

“What’s great is our core values are the same. What AdventHealth believes in, we believe in – giving back, community,” Magic President of Business Operations Charlie Freeman said. “That’s what’s so great. They’ve been with us from day one. Coming to do these things to now putting in another flag in the Parramore area with the training center – we’re just really excited.”

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Devin Cannady Joins Others From Orlando Magic, AdventHealth in Unveiling of Refurbished Basketball Court at Callahan Neighborhood Center in Parramore

ORLANDO - A word Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley frequently used throughout the 2021-22 season when describing the state of the team was “growth.”

After many of their practices, games, and other team functions during the season, Mosley raved about the progress he was seeing from this young squad. Their collective spirit, enthusiasm, and determination helped them withstand many of the challenges they were faced with, including injuries and inexperience.

For the Magic as a whole, helping others recognize the potential they have and showing them what it takes to achieve their goals, no matter how lofty they may be, is something that spreads beyond the hardwood. Daily, the Magic use their platform to give back to their community.

That was again conspicuous Sunday, as just an hour before the Magic tipped off their final game of the season against the Miami Heat at Amway Center, their charitable arm, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), distributed over $1 million to a combined 17 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping at-risk children accomplish their goals.

“It’s great that we are able to do it working through the foundation with so many people who contribute to the foundation,” Magic Chairman Dan DeVos said. “Putting it in the hands of people who really make a difference here. These are the people on the ground every day working hard making a difference, so we are very proud to be able to associate with them.”

Even though they each offer their own set of unique services and programs, these agencies share plenty in common. Topping that list, without a doubt, is emboldening youth.

During Sunday’s ceremony, grant recipient representatives got a chance to bounce ideas off one another and game-plan for future projects. That’s a big deal for an organization like Harbor House, one of the four nonprofits that received $100,000 to specifically address critical needs in the areas of COVID-19 support and social justice and racial equity issues.

“We have an amazing community of support network, as far as a lot of the nonprofits that are out in the community, and then also the people who want to support,” Harbor House CEO Michelle Sperzel said. “Coming to things like this, I learn more about different nonprofits that we can partner with, and also celebrate people we already are in partnership with, and that in and of itself is fantastic because we share a lot of the same kids. That is a beautiful thing.”

This marks the 14th time that at least $1 million has been donated through the OMYF since inception. Each year, the Magic gives more than $2 million to Central Florida by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. At the heart of the Magic’s charitable efforts is the work done by the OMYF, which is committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at-risk, by supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of education, housing/homelessness, the arts and health programs focused on preventing childhood obesity.

“These organizations are doing incredible work in our community, particularly with our children that are at-risk, and for us to be able to give a small check to them to help them with their work and help them grow their impact they are having in the Central Florida community is incredibly gratifying,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “It’s been a great journey under the ownership of the Orlando Magic by the DeVos family…This is a great day for us. This is one of our favorite days of the year.”

The DeVos family’s investment in the OMYF covers all administrative costs which allows for 100 percent of all donations to go directly to the foundation to benefit children and families in need throughout Central Florida each year. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the OMYF Open Golf Tournament and the Orlando Wine Festival & Auction.

The Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, the signature fundraiser for the OMYF, was held March 19, 2022 at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. The weekend of events featured exclusive vintner dinners, an outdoor festival featuring live music, live auction displays, an e-auction, local and celebrity chefs, wineries, and food pavilions, along with Magic players and coaches. Each guest also received an invitation to today's OMYF grant ceremony, where all funds from the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, along with other fundraising opportunities, were distributed to these local nonprofit organizations here today. This year's Orlando Wine Festival & Auction raised nearly $700,000 for the OMYF.

In addition to the OMYF’s fundraising efforts, the DeVos Family Foundation is donating a total of $3 million to 30 area nonprofit organizations as part of the DeVos family’s 30 Grants for 30 Years initiative, which aims to invest in people and projects impacting youth, essential needs for families, and community enrichment across Central Florida. The DeVos family also assisted the OMYF with fundraising efforts in 2021, providing $700,000 to the foundation to make up for the shortfall due to the pandemic and the OMYF not being able to hold its usual fundraising events. Through that donation, the OMYF was once again able to reach the $1 million milestone in 2021 to help at-risk youth and families in Central Florida.

“The DeVos family made a very incredible impact on our community,” OMYF President Linda Landman Gonzalez said. “They, too, said these have not been a normal two years. They came together and asked how we can we go over and above what OMYF and the Magic do to really (make an) impact. Three million (dollars) for 30 grants is unprecedented. We’ve never done this before. It’s been extraordinary.”

Here is a list of the 2022 grant recipients and the amount they each received at Sunday’s ceremony:

Each of these 13 organizations received $50,000 grants

CITY YEAR ORLANDO
OMYF is proud to partner with City Year Orlando with a $50,000 grant investment Whole School Whole Child Team Sponsorship which delivers robust local engagement and visibility by supporting student success, employee involvement, and community investment. Funding will support 2,400 Evans High School students with math, literacy, and mentoring programs.

EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF ORANGE COUNTY
With a mission to provide every child with equal access to high quality early learning programs by supporting those who help children grow and develop, the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County’s vision is for every child in Orange County to enter kindergarten with the foundation necessary to reach their full potential. The ABC Infant and Toddler Care program will receive $50,000 to expand quality care and facilitates teacher development programs.

ELEVATE ORLANDO
ELEVATE Orlando will receive $50,000 to support their College and Career Pipeline Program, offering exposure and guidance to emerging industries and preparing students for thriving careers. Students are inspired to achieve academic success, visualize their futures, and prepare for their post-secondary journey.

HEBNI NUTRITION CONSULTANTS, INC.
Hebni Nutrition Consultants will receive a $50,000 grant to expand the Kyds Healthy Habits Program to reach 80 middle and high school low-income, minority youth who are at risk of obesity and other nutrition related diseases.  The program teaches students the importance of eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, including growing their own vegetables and cooking healthy meals.

HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER
With their vision of being the premier center of hope and empowerment for Central Florida’s immigrant and working poor communities, Hope Community Center is receiving a $50,000 grant for their Hearing Our Stories program. 130 elementary school students and 50 middle school students will create a sense of belonging through art education.

IMPOWER
IMPOWER is dedicated to changing lives by protecting, counseling, teaching and inspiring individuals and families to reach their full potential. The Village Youth Homelessness Prevention and Transitional Housing program will receive $50,000 to help build life-skills, promote education, employment advocacy, and more.

ORLANDO BALLET
Using dance to provide life changing opportunities for those who might not otherwise have the chance, Scholarship Training for the Enrichment of Primary Students (STEPS) provides free ballet classes to second and third graders at Title I schools in Orange and Seminole counties. OMYF will be distributing $50,000 to the Orlando Ballet STEPS program to improve the lives of children through the power of dance.

ORLANDO SHAKES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UCF
Encouraging students to use theater to build critical life skills by exposing them to high-quality, professional productions and arts integration experiences in the classroom. Orlando Shakes will be receiving $50,000 to provide accessible and inclusive programming of “Magic Tree House: The Jackie Robinson Story” to 50 Title I schools in Orange County with accompanying arts education programming.

PAGE 15
Page 15 transforms lives through the power of words by using creative writing as the medium of self-expression.  They are receiving a $50,000 grant to continue to help youth, many at-risk due to poverty and trauma, discover their own voice and build confidence and resiliency.

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS, INC.
Professional Opportunities Programs for Students (POPS) mission is to enrich teenagers’ life experiences as they transition into adulthood by providing personal and professional development opportunities.  OMYF will be providing a $50,000 Grant for their P2DP Program to give at-risk high school students personalized development plans to prepare them for a positive future.

UCF FOUNDATION
WUCF, Central Florida’s PBS Station, provides strategies that take a whole-child approach to preparing children for kindergarten and is accessible to the entire community through PBS Kids.  The On My Way to K program will receive a $50,000 grant to expand and meet the evolving education needs of children and their caregivers.

TECH SASSY GIRLZ
Empowering middle and high school girls to pursue (STEM) science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, Tech Sassy girls is receiving $50,000 to support college preparation, career readiness, mentoring, and entrepreneurship programs.

ZEBRA COALITION
Zebra Coalition works with fifty-one separate agency partners to provide a continuum of vital services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth clients.  Creating a community where LGBTQ+ youth feel safe, empowered and inspired, Zebra Coalition will receive $50,000 for their Mental Health program.

FOCUS AREA GRANTS (each of these four organizations received $100,000 grants):
OMYF is taking an even greater role in the Central Florida community by investing in and strengthening our existing partnerships, especially those that most strategically align with their mission and focus areas. For the 2022 OMYF grant cycle, they will be distributing $100,000 for four non-profit partners who have specifically addressed the critical needs in the areas of COVID-19 Support and Social Justice and Racial Equity issues.

FOUNDATION FOR FOSTER CHILDREN
The Foundation for Foster Children EDUCATE Program provides a comprehensive approach to improving the educational outcomes of foster youth at each grade level. OMYF funding of $100,000 will support the expansion and scale of services offered to improve academic performance and outcomes, as well as long-term scholastic success for our community’s foster children.

FOUNDATION FOR ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Read2Succeed enables elementary school students to build critical literacy skills, giving young readers a strong literacy foundation and the support to increase their literacy knowledge and reading comprehension. Receiving $100,000, Foundation for Orange County Public Schools.

HARBOR HOUSE
Providing critical life-saving services to survivors of domestic abuse in Central Florida, Harbor House reduces transmission of intergenerational violence through interventions at Camp HOPE.  OMYF funding of $100,000 will support their life saving mission and provide hope for the future.

YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
The largest non-profit focused on supporting and strengthening communities with neighborhood-based services, the YMCA of Central Florida is receiving a $100,000 grant for the Links 2 Learning Program.  This out of school program focuses on high school graduation rates, successful entry and completion at post-secondary education and life-skill development.

GRAND TOTAL: $1,050,000 to Central Florida

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Orlando Magic Youth Foundation Distributes Over $1 Million to 17 Central Florida Organizations

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic's signature fundraising event, the Orlando Wine Festival & Auction held on March 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, raised nearly $700,000 for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), benefiting at-risk children in Central Florida. The fundraising extravaganza that endured a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, included live and e-auctions, as well as an outdoor festival, featuring live music, local and celebrity chefs, wineries, and food pavilions.

“After the break that we unfortunately had that obviously impacted so many people in a negative way, it’s great to get back together and look at the future,” said Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos at the event. “This is a major event for us. There are so many needs out there. This is our big fundraiser of the year. This creates really the foundation that we build everything else on. We're so grateful for all of the support we've received and know the impact that will have on the youth of this community.”

In addition to the OMYF’s fundraising efforts, the DeVos Family Foundation is donating a total of $3 million to 30 area nonprofit organizations as part of the DeVos family’s 30 Grants for 30 Years Initiative, which aims to invest in people and projects impacting youth, essential needs for families, and community enrichment across Central Florida.

Each of the 400 guests at Orlando Wine Festival & Auction also received an invitation to the OMYF Grant Ceremony on April 10, where all funds from this event and other OMYF fundraising opportunities will be distributed to the local nonprofit organizations that help at-risk youth in Central Florida.

“We are becoming a bigger city. We are becoming a lot more philanthropic because of that,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. “It’s great for our at-risk children’s organizations because there is a lot of need in Central Florida. Now, you are starting to see philanthropy grow in Central Florida, which is great and I think it only bodes well for helping the children in Central Florida and helping the organizations that really are making these kids better and preparing them for a better life.”

Each year, the Magic gives more than $2 million to Central Florida by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, and grants. At the heart of the Magic’s charitable efforts is the work done by the OMYF, which is committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at-risk, by supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of education, housing/homelessness, the arts and health programs focused on preventing childhood obesity.

Over the last 31 years, more than $26 million has been distributed to local nonprofit community organizations through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. The DeVos family’s investment in the OMYF covers all administrative costs which allows for 100 percent of all donations to go directly to the foundation to benefit children and families in need throughout Central Florida each year. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the OMYF Open Golf Tournament and its signature fundraiser, the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction.

In March and June 2021, the OMYF presented checks totaling $1 million to 18 grantee organizations, with $300k in collaborative grants distributed in March and $700k in grants distributed in June, marking the 13th time the OMYF has distributed $1 million to the Central Florida community since OMYF's inception in 1990.

The OMYF's ability to reach such a milestone in 2021 was once in doubt. Due to the pandemic, OMYF was unable to hold fundraising events over the past year that traditionally helped to add to the total available for giving. To make up for that shortfall, Magic ownership – the DeVos family – provided $700,000 for 2021 grant-making activity.

orlando-wine-festival-auction-raises-nearly-700000-for-at-risk-youth-in-central-florida

Orlando Wine Festival & Auction Raises Nearly $700,000 for At-Risk Youth in Central Florida

ORLANDO - Research proves that students who exercise regularly often get better grades than those who don’t. A 2008 study from the American College of Sports Medicine, for instance, found that middle school students who performed the best academically also performed the best on fitness tests. There have been many more studies conducted since then with similar findings.

The data from them all has influenced academic administrators across the country to increase and enhance the physical education programs offered to students. One nearby school that has taken the research seriously is Kissimmee’s Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

Principal Shelby Pagan and the rest of the school’s staff have gone to great lengths to encourage their students to exercise frequently and eat nutritious meals. Participating in the MAGIC Fit four-week challenge was one method they used to keep them on the right track.

The program, created by the Orlando Magic’s strength and conditioning staff to improve the knowledge of healthy food choices and fitness exercises among at-risk children within Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties, gave Pleasant Hill Elementary School’s students an easy-to-follow curriculum that was both fun and motivating.

The entire student body completed the challenge, and after a random drawing among all the schools with a 100 percent participation rate, they were selected the grand prize winners for a MAGIC Fit Fun Day. That took place Friday, March 25 on the school’s campus and featured dance lessons from the Magic’s 407 team, skills & drills run by Community Ambassadors Bo Outlaw and Nick Anderson, and health and wellness tips from AdventHealth.

“It’s an incredible experience for them because it’s an opportunity that they would not have otherwise,” Pagan said. “We’re really excited to promote the whole child – academic learning, their physical (health), and their social and emotional well-being. So, this kind of wraps (it all) up and shows that every part of them is important.

I am so proud of them each and every day because I know that every day when they arrive here they come to do their very best in all that they do, and they strive to get better every day, and this is an example of them striving to be better every day in both the academics and in their fitness.”

This year, 10,769 students across 14 different schools in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties took part in the four-week challenge. Over eight million minutes of exercise were logged, with seven of the schools achieving 100 percent participation.

“It’s great, and what’s more important than that is the message that you send – when you are talking about being healthy, eating the right things, getting sleep,” Anderson said. “The kids should understand and know that’s the way to go – staying healthy as you get older. I go back and think about my days growing up. I wish I had something like this. I hope the kids really take this in and listen to some of the good ways to get healthy and stay healthy.”

Health and wellness is one of the Magic’s community focus areas, with the others being housing/homelessness, education, and the arts. With it being NBA Fit Week, the Magic hope to encourage as many children as possible to exercise, eat well, and take care of their minds and bodies.

NBA FIT is a comprehensive health and wellness platform promoting healthy, active lifestyles for children and adults. The NBA FIT initiative encourages physical activity and healthy living for children and families.

“It’s been tremendous – what they’ve (the Magic) done in the community,” Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley said. “When you talk about not just the OMYF (Orlando Magic Youth Foundation), (and) the reaching out for the giving back, but all of these situations that the Magic are involved in are so great. And it’s so wonderful that they are getting in the community for the team fit, which is a great thing for this organization as well as the community.”

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Orlando Magic Host MAGIC Fit Fun Day Presented by AdventHealth

ORLANDO - It’s just simply in Markelle Fultz’s nature to assist.

On the court, he’s always looking for his teammates, which is why since returning to the lineup he has the NBA’s second-best per-36-minute assist average.

Off it, he has the same exact mindset. Ever since joining the Orlando Magic in Feb. 2019, Fultz has gone above and beyond to assist others in Central Florida, as well as in the Washington metropolitan area where he grew up.

Some players while going through a lengthy rehab after a severe injury would have disappeared. Not Fultz, who despite being unable to play for nearly 14 months was more visible than ever in the community.

That didn’t go unnoticed. A panel of Magic representatives, in awe of his devotion to philanthropy, kept tabs of all his off-the-court contributions and voted him as the 2021-22 Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award (CEA) winner. The other finalists this year were Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac, a co-winner the last time this prize was handed out in 2019. Due to the pandemic, the CEA was not awarded in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 seasons.

Like a combo meal, the honor comes with a side. Fultz was granted $25,000 from the DeVos Family Foundations to donate to a charity of his choice.

“Just coming over to Orlando and just seeing how much they do in the community and just how much effort they put in to reach as many as people as they can, it fit into the characteristics of my household and what we stand on,” he said. “It was pretty easy to come in and try to see where I can help out at, and for them to give the resources to so many different people to reach out to. It’s truly an honor and a blessing to be able to do this and be recognized for it.”

Several of Fultz’s community efforts this season came during the holidays. Around Thanksgiving, he joined his mother Ebony and other volunteers in supplying 300 turkeys, pantry items and produce to seniors and families in Orlando’s Eatonville neighborhood. That same week, he sponsored his annual “Fultzgiving” event in the District of Columbia, where families from the Emery Heights community were provided Thanksgiving meals. A few days before Christmas, he delivered holiday gifts to 67 children from the Head Start program at Orlando’s Hal Marston Community Center.

Where did this philanthropic mentality originate from, you might be wondering? His whole family, and especially his mother, instilled it in him at an early age.

“I think this award is not only for my mom but my whole family,” he said. “This is something that we’ve doing our whole lives, so for me to be able to get recognized for it, I give a huge thanks to her and I let her know today, ‘thank you for making me the man that I am, to be able to see the people in need, the people who might not feel comfortable, and being able to reach out to them and lift them up.’ This is a huge shoutout to not only my mom, but my family and my kids. Hopefully they see this and continue to build on this legacy.”

With what so many families have endured throughout the pandemic, Fultz felt in his heart that it was more important than ever to lend a helping hand. He’s proud to be part of a community that stuck together amid such tough circumstances.

“It helped me realize to not take anything for granted,” he said. “Being able to understand that there are people who have less, there are people who have more. We are all human. First, I just want to thank God for the ability to be able to reach out to these people and be able to help them. This is something I don’t do for publicity or anything like that. This is something I do out of the kindness of my heart….It really touched me (and) gave me more motivation, and even do more, and keep building on this.”

Past winners of the CEA award include Nick Anderson, Penny Hardaway, Darrell Armstrong, Grant Hill, Monty Williams, Tracy McGrady, Pat Garrity, Bo Outlaw, Dwight Howard, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson, Tobias Harris, Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Arron Afflalo, Aaron Gordon, and Isaac.

To celebrate all that Fultz and his teammates have accomplished in the community, the entire Magic team was on hand at Saturday’s Orlando Wine Festival and Auction benefitting the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.

The Magic’s signature fundraiser included live and electronic auctions that are active until March 21, as well as an outdoor festival, featuring live music, local and celebrity chefs, wineries, and food pavilions.

Each guest will also receive an invitation to the OMYF grant ceremony, where all funds from this event will be distributed to local nonprofit organizations that help at-risk youth in Central Florida. This is the second time the Magic have hosted this event, which replaced the Black Tie and Tennies Gala in 2019 after its successful 28-year run. In 2020, this fundraiser had to be cancelled just a couple days before it was scheduled to take place after the NBA paused the season due to the pandemic.

“After the break that we unfortunately had that obviously impacted so many people in a negative way, it’s great to get back together and look at the future,” Magic Chairman Dan DeVos said. “This is a major event for us. There are so many needs out there. This is our big fundraiser of the year…This creates really the foundation that we build everything else on, and it creates a lot of new friends for the organization, for the youth foundation. And therefore, they can help us with other events that we have throughout the year.”

In a region of the country that is growing larger by the day, it’s critical for philanthropists across Central Florida to support organizations that are helping kids succeed in all aspects of their lives.

“We are becoming a bigger city. We are becoming a lot more philanthropic because of that,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “It’s great for our at-risk children’s organizations because there is a lot of need in Central Florida…Now, you are starting to see philanthropy grow in Central Florida, which is great and I think it only bodes well for helping the kids in Central Florida and helping the organizations that really are making these kids better and preparing them for a better life.”

Central Florida’s biggest cheerleaders, the late Rich and Helen DeVos cherished every opportunity they had to give back to the community.

“My parents were always ones who gave back from a very early time in their marriage. They always gave back in one way or another through the church, through the community,” son Dan DeVos said. “They did that all the way through their whole lives. They instilled it with us and taught us that it’s an obligation that we have to give back. To have this award with their names on it helps perpetuate their memory and their commitment to the community.”

markelle-fultz-earns-2021-22-rich-helen-devos-community-enrichment-award

Markelle Fultz Earns 2021-22 Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award

ORLANDO – For the second straight year, the Orlando Magic celebrated International Women’s Day with a signature event.

In honor of the special day, the organization hosted over 100 women at the Magic’s Gamechang(HERS) Summit. The program brings together a group of influential women to empower and inspire current and future female leaders across sports, business, and the community.

The event featured three panels of speakers, which included Orlando Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell, UCF Women’s Soccer Head Coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, U.S. Tennis Association’s Managing Director of Major Events Megan Rose, former WWE Superstar Torrie Wilson, RL Engineering and Tech Solutions CEO Rose LeJiste, and Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins. Those panels were moderated by Let’s Spill the Tea founder Monica May and Orange County Government Senior Public Information Officer Despina Barton.

The keynote speaker of the summit was Dr. Keita Joy, who shared her experiences as a success maximizer, motivational teacher, and CEO of Success Uncensored Coaching.

"I think people took a lot of key insights away from those conversations," said Magic Senior Vice President of Marketing and Social Responsibility Shelly Wilkes of the event. "They were really powerful discussions."

Points of emphasis throughout the event included the value of networking, leadership lessons, the importance of mentorship and providing inspiration for other leaders and future leaders. After the four-hour session, attendees were invited to a happy hour and provided tickets to attend the Magic’s home game against the Phoenix Suns.

"We really had the opportunity to uplift one another, network, and hear from fantastic speakers," said Wilkes. "The goal was really to find opportunities to connect. I think we were able to do that today. I think everybody walked away with some new connections in the room. It was really just an inspiring afternoon."

International Women's Day is a global holiday that commemorates the cultural, political and socioeconomic achievements of women.  It serves as an important focal point for issues such as gender equity, equality, and empowerment.

The Magic celebrate diversity and embrace its many characteristics and the value it brings to both business and community—understanding what can be accomplished when everyone works together to achieve legendary moments. The Magic are committed to creating an environment in which employees, community partners and fans feel welcome, valued and appreciated. The Magic’s full-time staff includes close to 100 women, making up nearly 50 percent of their employees.

The Magic’s leadership team features a number of prominent women on both the business and basketball operations sides, including Director of Player Development and Basketball Operations Becky Bonner and Director of High Performance Lindsay Winninger.

"I have been here now for eighteen seasons and the organization has significantly grown in size. With that, there has been a commitment to diversity across all levels," Wilkes explained. "We are committed to continuing to diversify all levels of our organization. I think that Becky Bonner and Lindsay on the basketball operations side definitely show that we are committed at the Orlando Magic to create more diversity and more opportunities for women in the sports industry."

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Orlando Magic Host Second Annual Gamechang(HERS) Summit

ORLANDO - Coping with pandemic stress is an undeniable challenge, especially now with COVID cases rising across the country. Maintaining a positive attitude helps decrease that anxiety and fear.

Have doubts about that? Donya Holley’s personal journey will likely convince you that anything is possible, even when things seem grim.

At the beginning of 2021, the single mother of three children was facing a lot of uncertainty. The family was living in an unstable apartment. It was very cramped. Holley knew changes were necessary, especially for the kids who needed more space.

She was denied after applying for Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County’s homeownership program. Not once, but twice. She repeatedly told herself not to give up, and that perseverance was necessary. Slowly but surely, that positive outlook combined with her hard work paid off. She eventually got the green light from Habitat for Humanity to take the next step in the process, which was completing 75 hours of sweat equity or volunteer hours and attending eight homeownership classes.

She started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and then came the revelation she prayed for. A new house in Orlando’s Silver Pines Pointe community would be built for the family. The Orlando Magic took part in the construction, and then joined the family for a key dedication ceremony along with AdventHealth and Habitat for Humanity in early November.

“I did not give up. (There were a) little bit of bumps where I feel like I could have gotten discouraged,” Holley said. “God kept pushing me. And I remember why I started. I started for them (her children). I knew I had to do something to change my kids’ lives because if I didn’t do it I didn’t know who was going to do it. So, I thank God for perseverance because there are many times I could have given up. I’m living proof that it can happen, so don’t give up on anything that you are doing in your life.”

Christmas two days away, the Magic decided Holley and her family deserved more for their incredible resilience and grit. They welcomed them to Amway Center for Thursday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. But this wasn’t just any ordinary game night experience.

A limo picked them up at their home. Upon arriving, they enjoyed dinner in the Fields Ultimate Lounge. During the game, they cheered on the Magic from their Ultimate seats. The biggest surprise, though, occurred during halftime when it was announced that they were this year’s “Big Give” family recipient.

Joined by AdventHealth, Disney, Drop and Papa John’s at center court, the family was showered with gifts and other items to assist them through difficult times. It was the 13th consecutive season the Magic have hosted one family around the holidays for “The Big Give.”

Gifts included electronics and kitchen appliances for their new home, including a flat screen smart TV, all-in-one air fryer, and toaster oven. The Magic's partners also surprised the family with $5,000 for home furnishings provided by AdventHealth; a total of $500 in gift cards and free groceries for a year from Sam's Club provided by Drop; four Disney Park Hopper Passes courtesy of Disney; and Papa John’s gave the family a year supply of pizza.

“I am so overwhelmed. I really just thought that I was just going to come to the game, and just enjoy the game because I knew they (Orlando Magic) did sponsor me, so I was not expecting what I just received. It’s a blessing,” Holley said.

The Magic have been quite busy over the last week giving back to their community. On Dec. 15, the Magic provided Carver Middle School students who are part of the After School All Stars program gifts off their holiday wish lists. The very next day, Chuma Okeke, along with Pepsi Stronger Together, surprised 100 Boys & Girls Club members at the Joe R. Lee Branch with $100 gift cards and new electronic equipment for their teen lounge. Across town, E’Twaun Moore was at a Target hosting close to 70 children from the J.R. Smith Center for a holiday shopping spree. Each kid was given a $100 gift card, paid for by Moore and Magic teammate Cole Anthony.

On Dec. 22, Markelle Fultz, his mother Ebony and Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley bought holiday presents for 67 Head Start program children ages 3-5 as well as $100 Publix gift cards for each of the parents. Attending on behalf of Mosley, who was in Atlanta coaching against the Hawks, was his wife, Kristina.

“It means the world,” Mosley said. “We talk about what it’s all about and it’s about being able to give back and take care of those in need, especially in times such as this. It means a ton. We have such a great organization that is giving back and wanting to give back. And Kelle does a great job. All of our guys do a great job of getting involved and being in the community.”

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Orlando Magic Surprise Deserving Family With Holiday Gifts During Special ‘Big Give’ Halftime Presentation

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic and Pepsi share nearly identical marketing brand campaigns. The Magic’s is ‘Magic Together’ and Pepsi’s is ‘Pepsi Stronger Together.’

Together, which is obviously the common word in both slogans, they lift the community up through philanthropy.

That was the theme on Thursday, Dec. 16 at Eatonville’s Joe R. Lee Boys & Girls Club where the Magic, led by team forward Chuma Okeke, and Pepsi delivered a big holiday boost to 100 kids of the after-school program.

Each child received $100 gift cards, and the Magic and Pepsi bought new electronic equipment, including a flat screen television and laptop computers, for the facility’s teen lounge as part of the $10,000 donation. Papa John’s, meanwhile, provided pizza for the kids.

As you probably would expect, especially with a player from their favorite team in the house, the reactions from the kids were priceless.

“Any time I’m able to make somebody’s day, a kid’s day, it’s always going to make me feel good inside,” Okeke said. “In a world where sometimes it seems like there’s no hope in the world, but just little stuff like this it makes kids just keep pushing. You never know what direction kids are going down these days.”

As the old adage goes, there’s strength in numbers. The more organizations there are in a region willing to work together to build a stronger community, the more likely it is that will happen.

Pepsi is one of the Magic’s “Champions of the Community” partners. The others are AdventHealth, L3Harris, RP Funding, Walt Disney World, IOA and Florida Blue. All encompass what it truly means to invest in their community by supporting programming that makes a direct impact on others.

It’s been especially meaningful to give back during the pandemic, knowing so many children and families need a boost.

“The Magic have been phenomenal partners of Pepsi for many years,” said Floyd Ferjuste, vice president of sales at Pepsi. “As you think about the pandemic and what people have gone through the last couple years, I think likeminded businesses and organizations such as the Magic and PepsiCo wanted to really think about how we give back to the community, and it’s through the Pepsi Stronger Together and Magic Together platform. Really, it’s been a natural way to partner.”

The Magic and Pepsi have a long running history of teaming up during the holiday season. This was the 13th holiday gift-giving event they’ve organized for kids of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, which provides a safe and caring experience for children between the ages of 6 and 18 from the region’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. At each of the 36 clubs across six counties, children become more confident, stay out of trouble, and plan for their futures.

“We have core values with our organization and one is called BE GREAT,” said Shadrick Alexander, service director at the Boys & Girls Clubs Joe R. Lee branch. “I think that’s what it is with the Orlando Magic, to provide opportunities – and this opportunity every year for the past 13 years…To be able to provide those kids with a joyous Christmas because everything they’ve been going through for the past two years with the pandemic, they always just seem down because they weren’t going to school and then the club was closed for so long because of the pandemic. To open up and then bring that joy and excitement of the club atmosphere but also the holidays will put a big, huge smile on a kid’s face. That continuous partnership with the Orlando Magic and Pepsi, it really has helped our organization really just provide resources to our families.”

Across town, Magic guard E’Twaun Moore was also spreading holiday cheer. The 6-foot-3, 11-year NBA veteran hosted close to 70 children from the J.R. Smith Center for a holiday shopping spree at a Target in Orlando. Each kid was supplied with a $100 gift card, the cost of which was split by Moore and his teammate Cole Anthony.

“It’s very neat. First of all, it’s motivating for me,” said Moore. “I feel like a big kid. It’s happy and fun time for me and my family also. That’s where it started, with my family and my foundation (the E'Twaun Moore foundation). Have to give Cole Anthony big props (also).”

Moore, who’s in his second stint with the Magic, credited the DeVos family for setting the tone early in his career about giving back to the community.

“(Giving back) is very big. I played in Orlando my second and third year in the NBA and I’m on year eleven now,” said Moore. “I was definitely inspired by the DeVos family. I saw how much they give back and how much they’re involved in the community and how important it is to them. I definitely took notice and it’s something that’s definitely needed in this world.”

On Dec. 22, 67 Head Start program kids ages 3 to 5 will be receiving gift cards purchased by Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley and guard Markelle Fultz. The very next night at Amway Center during their game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Magic will partner with Habitat for Humanity to shower a local family of four with a BIG holiday surprise, including gifts and other items the family needs.

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Chuma Okeke, Pepsi Surprise Boys & Girls Club Youth With Gifts; E’Twaun Moore Takes Kids on Holiday Shopping Spree

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