News Releases

MIAMI – January 25, 2020 –Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, the premier nonprofit mentoring organization in South Florida, will host its Big appreciation event, “A BIG Night Out” from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Carnival Center for Excellence (550 NW 42nd Ave. Miami, FL 33126). The annual event that honors the adult mentors (called ‘Bigs’) who are paired with a child (called a ‘Little Brother or Little Sister’) will feature a special appearance from Terrill Hanks, a current Miami Dolphins linebacker, and Darrin Smith, a former NFL linebacker and University of Miami football player, who are both former Littles themselves.

Throughout the night, attendees will enjoy passed food and drinks, as well as an award ceremony that recognizes Bigs who are making a lasting impact on the organization. One Big/Little match will receive recognition from the National Football League and NFL Legend, Darrin Smith – the two will be surprised with a pair of tickets to Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2. (The ticket give-away information is under embargo until the actual event.)

“Without our Bigs, we are not able to do what we do here every single day at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, which is inspiring the youth in our community to reach their full potential,” said Gale Nelson, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami President and CEO. “We’re excited to have former Littles in attendance who can attest to the positive influence that their mentors had on their lives, encouraging them to stay committed to a sport they loved and ultimately making it to the NFL.”

At this moment, there is an urgent need for adult mentors in local communities, especially men.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Nov. 12, 2019

#DolphinsHuddlefor100 @NFL #FootballUnites #InspireChange

PLANTATION, FL– As part of the Miami Dolphins FOOTBALL UNITES™ Bigs in Blue program, Dolphins rookies Chandler Cox, Sam Eguavoen, Terrill Hanks, Montre Hartage, Patrick Laird and Ken Webster as well as T.D. joined the youth of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami and local law enforcement officers to participate in the Dolphins Kids Cook-off presented by Publix on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The group gathered for an evening of fellowship and bonding as they received aprons and a cooking lesson led by Publix Chef Rey De La Osa.

“Having a mentor in my life as a kid growing up to give me positivity to do something in my life helped align myself for greatness and stay out of trouble and now being able to be in a position to give back to them means a lot,” Hanks said. “I definitely want to motivate, encourage and give them confidence because I know for myself being around the right people and mentoring helped me get to where I am today.”

“Publix is proud to host the Miami Dolphins and the Bigs in Blue with their littles for a special night at our Publix Apron’s Cooking School. We look forward to this event every year, it’s a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season and make memories with our community partner,” Publix Media & Community Relations Manager Nicole Krauss said.

The FOOTBALL UNITES™ Bigs in Blue program provides the 2019 Dolphins rookie class with an opportunity to participate in the community as mentors and foster new relationships with law enforcement and youth. This event is part of a season-long initiative with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. Further events with the rookies and youth will include game day experiences and a mock draft.

”It’s amazing to have the Miami Dolphins through FOOTBALL UNITES™ come up with such a great opportunity for youth, adults, the entire community and different organizations come together to understand and better respect each other giving them the opportunity to see so many different cultures, appreciate each other, love each other and work together as one,” North Miami Police Athletic League Executive Director Lynda Roberts said.

These efforts and initiatives align with the organization’s goal to level the playing field through the power of teamwork to inspire a healthier, more educated and united South Florida community. Dolphins Chairman of the Board & Managing General Partner Stephen Ross and Dolphins players created the FOOTBALL UNITES™ program as a way to bring positive social change. The Miami Dolphins organization believes it is important to be inclusive of the diversity and aware of the intersections that make up South Florida, uniting groups of different races, genders, sexual orientations, identities, abilities and faiths around the power of football.

These programs connect to the NFL’s Inspire Change platform, showcasing the collaborative efforts of players, owners and the league to create positive change in communities across the country and work with RISE – the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality – to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations. Information on the FOOTBALL UNITES™ program can be found here. To learn more about RISE, visit here. Fans can join the

conversation with the NFL’S Inspire Change program by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

CONTACT:             Paola Argueta, Dolphins Communications, pargueta@dolphins.com (703) 663-0292

—DOLPHINS—

Images: Credit Miami Dolphins

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