MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins Foundation Food Relief Program announced it will reach its 250,000 meal milestone as the organization prepares to host a series of Thanksgiving meal distributions to further assist the South Florida community and those in need ahead of upcoming holiday season. As part of the program, the Dolphins will continue to work with Football UNITES™ community partners, local minority-owned restaurants and team partners to host distribution events that will feed more than 21,000 community members in the tri-county area from Monday Nov. 23 – Wednesday Nov. 25.
Launched in June 1 by Owner Stephen Ross and Vice Chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel, the Food Relief Program is a year-long, multimillion-dollar commitment that addresses record unemployment and food insecurity in the wake of COVID-19. To date, the program has distributed more than 225,000 meals from local minority owned restaurants and from Centerplate, the team’s food, beverage and retail partner, to 136 organizational partners. Individuals and businesses that wish to participate in the match program can donate online at dolphins.com/meals.
Notable distributions and partners throughout November include:
- Sunday, Nov. 1 – Partnered with the NAACP to host Souls to the Polls, distributing 1,500 meals catered by Arline’s Restaurant & Seafood, iKrave and Betty’s Soulfood Restaurant in an effort to encourage voting in Miami-Dade County.
- Monday, Nov. 2 – Junior Dolphins Donations presented by Baptist Health visited Boynton Beach High School to distribute 300 mealscatered by Troy’s BarBeQue to support the healthy and active lifestyles of student athletes facing athletic programming cancellations/closures due to COVID-19 concerns
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 – Junior Dolphins Donations presented by Baptist Health visited Royal Palm Beach High School and distributed 300 meals catered by Troy’s BarBeQue.
- Saturday, Nov. 7 – Partnered with Dr. Steve Gallon III, School Board Vice Chair and his office to distribute 500 meals.
- Friday, Nov. 13 – Partnered with Office Depot and the North Miami Police Athletic League to distribute 1,000 meals catered by Chef Creole Seasoned Restaurant.
- Saturday, Nov. 14 – Junior Dolphins Donations presented by Baptist Health distributed 300 meals catered by Eats Good 33 to the student athletes of Miami-Dade County youth football programs.
- Saturday, Nov. 14 – Partnered with Mount Olive Development Corporation to distribute 1,000 meals catered by Rick’s Catering.
- Monday Nov. 23 – Will partner with Ambetter from Sunshine Health and the Dolphins Football UNITES™ program to distribute 850 meal kits each capable of feeding 4-6 people complete with a turkey, fresh produce and sides to South Florida families at Hard Rock Stadium.
- Tuesday Nov. 24 – Will partner with Centerplate and Sysco South Florida to distribute more than 6,300 meals at Hard Rock Stadium.
- Wednesday Nov. 25 –Received a $100,000 grant as the winner of the NFL’s Huddle for 100 initiative, leading the league with 75,623,500 volunteer minutes in the 2019 season. With this grant, the Dolphins will partner with more than 25 local minority owned restaurants to distribute more than 10,000 meals to the South Florida community. Organizational partners of the program will assist in identifying distribution sites providing meals to recipients through community programs across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
