Huddle for 100 Volunteer Project Followed Ribbon Cutting at NFL Youth Education Town
Each year, the NFL seeks to improve the surrounding communities of the Super Bowl host city, through the Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program, by giving an annual $1 million contribution from the NFL Foundation. This year, a $2.4 million grant – supported by funding from the NFL Foundation, the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee and the Miami Dolphins – has gone to five different capital improvement projects in several different regional focus areas of South Florida including downtown Miami, Miami-Dade County, Miami Beach and Broward County. Additional support for the projects was provided by South Florida-based partners – the Downtown Development Authority, City of Miami, Miami Foundation, City of Miami Beach, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Miami-Dade County, the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, the Memorial Foundation and Broward County Parks and Recreation.
The Super Bowl Legacy Grant projects will provide children with three youth field refurbishments that converted grass fields to synthetic fields, at Gwen Cherry Park, Goulds Park and Miami Beach Senior High School, new lighting in Bayfront Park as part of downtown Miami’s Baywalk along Biscayne Bay and the creation of an Outdoor Fitness Zone at Plantation Heritage Regional Park in Broward County.
NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL, Miami Dolphins Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer TOM GARFINKEL, Miami Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman and President RODNEY BARRETO, Miami-Dade County Mayor CARLOS A. GIMENEZ, Miami-Dade County Commission Chairwoman AUDREY EDMONSON, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 2 Commissioner JEAN MONESTIME, Gwen Cherry Park Foundation Chairman H.T. SMITH, Miami Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Director MARIA NARDI, Miami Dolphins WR ISAIAH FORD and Legend NAT MOORE and Indianapolis Colts Wide Receiver T.Y. HILTON were present for the press conference and ribbon cutting Thursday at Gwen Cherry Park.
“It’s important for us leave a lasting impact in Miami after Super Bowl LIV concludes,” said NFL Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director of NFL Foundation, ALEXIA GALLAGHER. “In partnership with the Super Bowl Host Committee and Miami Dolphins, the Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program allows us to positively affect the South Florida community for years to come. We’re proud to partner on a Huddle for 100 project here today as well, as the league has now surpassed 300 million minutes volunteered in celebration of 100 seasons of the NFL.”
The NFL seeks to improve the surrounding communities of the Super Bowl host city with the Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program, made possible each year by a $1 million contribution from the NFL Foundation and matched by the Super Bowl Host Committee. This year, the NFL and Miami Super Bowl Host Committee’s grants are focused on creating opportunities for youngsters to play football and engage in athletic competition on improved athletic fields, and residents and visitors alike in South Florida to participate in exercise and outdoor activities in safe and upgraded walking paths and park facilities.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was immediately followed by a Huddle for 100 volunteer event at the NFL Youth Education Town (YET) at Gwen Cherry Park. Huddle for 100 is the NFL’s season-long initiative to inspire people to donate 100 minutes of their time in honor of the league’s 100th season, with a goal of reaching 100 million minutes of service. Commissioner Goodell announced today that the NFL family has surpassed 300 million minutes volunteered, after surpassing the original goal on Thanksgiving Day. The NFL partnered with Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces and the Mission Continues, to beautify and revitalize areas surrounding the park and community center. NFL Legends and players participated alongside 150 volunteers in activities including mulching, gardening, bench building, painting and more. The students in attendance took part in a NFL PLAY 60 clinic on the newly refurbished field as well as spent time giving back through the community activities. Commissioner Goodell also did a Super Bowl ticket giveaway for two very deserving brothers – Wallace Aristide, principal of Miami Northwestern Senior High and William Aristide, principal of Booker T. Washington Senior High. The Aristide’s are well-known and beloved leaders in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and are also the first brothers to oversee schools that each took home football state championship titles in different classes at the same time.
