Orlando Magic Celebrate Thanksgiving at Coalition for the Homeless for 33rd Year

The Orlando Magic enter the holiday season with plenty of reasons to be thankful.
 
They’re fresh off one of the most dominant victories in franchise history, are a perfect 3-0 in the NBA Cup, have re-established their defensive dominance and have won seven of their last nine games overall.
 
The Magic also once again boast one of the top home records in the NBA, winning six of their last seven contests in the City Beautiful. The team has repeatedly stated that they feed off the energy from the Kia Center crowd and are always looking to reciprocate the support they feel from the Central Florida community.
 
On Thanksgiving, the franchise took the opportunity to do just that. The Magic continued one of the longest standing traditions in team history as Magic Managing Director Ryan DeVos and his wife Michelle, Magic President of Business Operations Charlie Freeman, Magic General Manager Anthony Parker, Magic Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw, Magic staff and volunteers served a special Thanksgiving breakfast to the men, women and children who currently reside at Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and unsheltered individuals from the community who may be struggling with food insecurity.
 
“It’s been amazing,” Ryan DeVos explained. “This is the 33^rd year that we’ve been doing this, and it’s truly an honor to be here every single year serving those in need … As a family, we’ve been stewards and caretakers of this organization for the last 34 years now. So, it very closely aligns with the advent of this tradition. It’s been pretty amazing.”
 
For more than three decades, this tradition has allowed the Magic to serve a nutritious breakfast to individuals and families struggling with homelessness who rely on the Coalition for their meals.
 
“Community is one of our core values, and it’s so great to give back and make a small difference (this time of year),” said Freeman. “This is obviously a big (challenge) in our community. To be able to do a small thing and serve those who are less fortunate is obviously something that’s important to us. For our staff, this is a tradition.”
 
As has become customary, the breakfast was made possible thanks to the generosity of Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley.
 
“It’s so important, especially this time of year around the holidays,” Mosley explained. “Just being able to give back and (see) our players that want to give back. As (part of) the Magic organization, it’s what we need to do in the community and what we continue to do in the community. It’s so important for all of us.”
 
The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is a short-term residential shelter with a focus on housing, emergency services, and diversion. For over three decades, they’ve helped families and individuals return to stable, permanent homes as quickly as possible.
Last year alone, the Coalition served nearly 230,000 meals and assisted more than 2,800 individuals in finding permanent housing. 
“The Orlando Magic with our partnership, it just warms my heart,” said Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida President/CEO Brad Butterstein. “A lot of these individuals and families that are facing the crisis of homelessness are not seen (and) they’re not heard. Here at the coalition, I get the wonderful job to be their voice and give them a voice out into the community. Look, they’re our neighbors, and we need to do something here to help them out. When the businesses community, sports teams and others can come together (like they are today) and help us out here, that’s where we all thrive.”
 
The Magic were also active leading up to the holiday. Last week, Orlando rookie Jase Richardson joined Magic and Florida Blue volunteers for the annual Block Out Hunger Thanksgiving Celebration at the Eatonville Boys & Girls Club and distributed 400 Thanksgiving meals to underserved Central Florida families. The donated meals, which were made possible thanks to the generosity of Florida Blue and the Magic, included a turkey and all the trimmings (green beans, gravy, corn, potatoes, dinner rolls and dessert).
 
Two weeks ago, Wendell Carter Jr. and his A Platform2 Foundation hosted a Thanksgiving event at the GuideWell Innovation Center in Lake Nona to honor veterans and active-duty military members for their service and sacrifice.
 
In partnership with Florida Blue, the Magic and USO, the celebration was an expression of deep gratitude and featured a Thanksgiving-style dinner, entertainment, and special recognition for the veterans and their loved ones. Through this initiative, they celebrated their resilience, honored their legacy, and reminded them that their service continues to inspire generations.
 
“Character is the single most important thing that we look for in our people,” DeVos explained. “From our players to our coaching staff, from top to bottom. So, (we) have guys who do that naturally. It’s completely second nature to them. Jase is a great example. He’s been around the league his entire life, more or less. So, for him to see the importance of carrying (community events) on is huge. He does a great job. Jase is one example of what we’ve (done during) this season of giving. There are many more (events) to come.”