When you read the sports pages, the headlines about the Miami Marlins usually have more to do with game play than anything else. Well, the Marlins are awesome corporate citizens also, and you don’t hear nearly enough about their charitable work in the community.
We did our best to change all that on a recent show when I talked to Alfredo Mesa, VP and executive director of the Miami Marlins Foundation, about a very special upcoming event.
On June 18, the Marlins will host the annual Fish ‘N Chips All In casino party. It’s a tradition where guests get to meet the players personally in the beautiful Marlins Park.
All proceeds benefit Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program for disadvantaged youth. In addition to mentoring, the kids are eligible for scholarships if they stay in the program. In the last five years in South Florida, five seniors have each won a $20,000 scholarship, Mesa said.
“For folks who really want to be part of a charity event, they can have fun, meet players, have a casino night in our beautiful ballpark and know that the money you’ll be investing is in education,” he said.
Previously, Fish ‘N Chips guests have supported Marlins’ programs like Compression for Life, which in association with Boys & Girls Clubs teaches CPR to kids and their parents.
Just recently, in the Marlins Ayudan program, front-office personnel donned blue jerseys and delivered some 500 meals to senior citizens in the community.
“It’s all because we have a commitment to corporate social responsibility. Since the ballpark was approved, the Marlins Foundation – with the support of our players and the Marlins front office – has invested over $4 million in philanthropy in South Florida and over 22,000 hours of service in the Marlins Ayudan program,” Mesa said.
To learn more about the upcoming Fish ‘N Chips event, visit marlins.com/fishnchips.
Click here to listen to the full interview with Alfredo Mesa, VP and executive director of the Miami Marlins Foundation.
