Through a series of six distributions, the Miami Marlins Foundation's annual back-to-school distributions set up more than ten thousand local elementary school students for success this school year. In partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, these distributions took place over the span of a week, stretching from Miami-Dade to Broward and Palm Beach County.

At the final event on August 23, Marlins players Sandy Alcantara and Eury P¨¦rez were joined by Marlins President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, Marlins President of Business Operations Caroline O¡¯Connor, and other volunteers to hand out supplies at Lenora B. Smith Elementary School.

¡°This makes me very happy, and I¡¯m blessed to be here,¡± said Alcantara. ¡°When I was little, I didn¡¯t have this type of support, and nobody came to my school. But now, I have the opportunity to be here and give back, and I feel so happy and proud to do it.¡±

The joy that Alcantara experienced was noticeably shared by the students he interacted with throughout the morning.

¡°It¡¯s a special moment to see the kids¡¯ faces,¡± said Alcantara. ¡°They¡¯ve been laughing, smiling, and cheering on the Marlins all day.¡±

As each class entered the school¡¯s library to receive their new supplies from Alcantara and his fellow volunteers, the students made their enthusiasm and excitement known.

¡°These kids coming out and chanting ¡®let¡¯s go Marlins¡¯ as they get the supplies is heartwarming,¡± said Pablo Lau, President of Kiwanis Club, Little Havana. ¡°For them to have professional players with them, they are experiencing something memorable.¡±

In addition to Alcantara and P¨¦rez hoping their presence would bring joy to the students, they also wanted their impact to be more than just a memory.

¡°It¡¯s good to just get smiles out of the kids,¡± said P¨¦rez. ¡°It¡¯s something different that they got to do today, and we gave them something related to their future. School is something that every kid needs and is very important for developing.¡±

The participation and reactions from Alcantara and P¨¦rez reflect the organization¡¯s values, specifically the emphasis the Marlins place on connecting with and serving the local community.

¡°We¡¯re so happy to give back to our community. Seeing all of these smiling faces and hearing the kids chant ¡®let¡¯s go Marlins¡¯ was really cool,¡± said Bendix. ¡°We want to build a team that makes our fans proud, on and off the field. It¡¯s great that our players recognize the importance of giving back, and we appreciate them taking time out of their busy schedules to spend in the community. I¡¯m thrilled to have joined them today, it was a lot of fun.¡±

This year¡¯s back-to-school distribution series began on August 15, as a handful of players from the Marlins Single-A affiliate Jupiter Hammerheads visited Jupiter Elementary School. The series also included appearances by Marlins pitcher Jes¨²s Luzardo at Poinciana Park Elementary School on August 19 and Marlins great Charles Johnson at Park Lakes Elementary School on August 22.

Additionally, the series featured Marlins front office staff members volunteering, along with employees and leadership from some of the distributions¡¯ presenting sponsors, including Amazon, Florida Power & Light Company, and PNC Bank.

¡°Today marked the culmination of a truly special series that will have a long-lasting impact on our community,¡± said O¡¯Connor. ¡°It was amazing to see the collective buy-in from our players, Minor League affiliate, staff members, and partners. Together, we equipped these students for success in the classroom and ensured that they can reach their full potential, while also providing them with cherished memories in the process.¡±

For more information on the Miami Marlins Foundation, visit Marlins.com/Foundation.