ORLANDO GIVES BACK.
Magic Moments.
December was a big month for DOP members. The Orlando Magic and FAIRWINDS
Credit Union teamed up with the City of Orlando to strengthen our community.
On Saturday, Dec. 19 the Magic and FAIRWINDS teamed up with the City of Orlando to give District 6 residents a much-needed boost for the holiday season. At the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center, pre-registered families received holiday gift bags that included toys and clothes. Additional raffle prizes, such as children’s bikes and flat screen televisions, were also given out.
Among those who packaged and/or distributed the gifts were Magic Community Ambassadors Bo Outlaw and Nick Anderson and many volunteers from FAIRWINDS and the City of Orlando.
With the pandemic causing so much devastation, the Magic and FAIRWINDS are devoted to doing all that they can to reverse people’s misfortunes. The holiday season should always be a time of joy, family, laughter and togetherness, and that’s precisely what the Magic and FAIRWINDS want people to experience.
“It’s an extraordinary partnership that we have with the Orlando Magic, especially during these challenging times,” said Elisha Gonzalez, Vice President of Community Relations and Government Affairs at FAIRWINDS and the Executive Director of the FAIRWINDS Foundation. “Just people trying to make decisions between rent, food and providing toys for their children, so it’s a blessing that we are able to come together to provide a little bit of joy this holiday season for their children.”
Grateful for the Magic and FAIRWINDS, Orlando District 6 Commissioner Bakari Burns and his staff believe it’s compassion like this that steers people down healthier and happier paths. Jason Henry, Burns’ Executive Aide, is elated to know there are organizations in the community who truly care and are willing to lend a helping hand.
This community event was one of several the Magic were involved in this holiday season.
Magic staff members also provided local underserved children gifts off of their holiday wish lists. This year, the star tree gifts benefitted homeless youth from Orange County Public Schools. Each child's wish list was distributed virtually and selected by Magic staff to help fulfill their wishes.
The very next evening, members from the Magic and Pepsi went to the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida’s Taft location and surprised 40 kids with a $10,000 donation, which included $100 Walmart gift cards for each child, as well as electronics for their new teen lounge, including a flat screen television, laptop computers and Bluetooth speakers.
On Tuesday, Dec. 22, the Magic partnered with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida to shower one local family of six with a BIG holiday surprise including gifts and other items the family needs. This is the 12th consecutive season of the Magic's Big Give, which selects one deserving family each year. This year, a single mother of five children was selected.
IT'S SO EASY BEING GREEEN.
Zero Heroes.
The City of Orlando is committed to reducing their environmental impact with the goal of becoming a zero-waste community by 2040. To help achieve this goal, they are offering businesses the opportunity to recycle their food waste. Once collected, the food waste is sent to a commercial composting facility, where it is processed along with yard waste into a beneficial soil additive. Since its inception, this program has kept over 3 million pounds of food out of landfills! You can learn more about getting involved here.
Speaking of zero, Fifth Third Bank recently announced their CO2 emissions in 2020 had zero net impact, making them the first regional commercial bank to achieve carbon neutrality. Click to read the full scoop. Way to go!
UPCOMING EVENTS
This is Downtown is back in 2021
The first 2021 session of This is Downtown will be next week! Join DOP on January 27 at 11:30 a.m. for New Kids on the Block: The Suntrust Tower. Presented by TLC Engineering Solutions, HuntonBrady Architects, Austin Commercial and e|spaces. Our panelists include:
- Wayne Allred: Principal/ Regional Director, TLC Engineering Solutions
- Steve Belflower: President, HuntonBrady Architects
- Rob Allen: Business Development Manager, Austin Commercial
- Jon Pirtle: President, e|spaces
Register here.
Conversations on Justice
From January 25-28, Orange County Libraries and
Valencia College will bring you Conversations on Justice with the Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute. These virtual discussions will cover issues ranging from economic and racial inequality and immigration.
- January 25 at 1 p.m.
- January 26 at 4 p.m.
- January 27 at 10 a.m.
- January 28 at 6 p.m.
Register here.
Celebrate the start of Black History Month at Discover Downtown with a pop-up shop event on Friday, January 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors present will include:
- Dr. Cassandra Williams-Kelly author of Issues Without Tissues
- Representative Geraldine Thompson
- Tronaye Jones founder of Raided Clothing
DID YOU KNOW?
COVID-19 Vaccines in Orange County
Appointments to receive the first dose of the vaccine are now available through AdventHealth and OrlandoHealth. To be eligible to make an appointment, you must be a patient at either organization and 65+.
Learn more about how to schedule your appointments with AdventHealth and OrlandoHealth by clicking the links.