OYC Miami recently celebrated the 26th Annual 33 Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway, founded by NBA Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning. With the generous support of the Caesar Iglesias Family Foundation for a second consecutive year, the initiative reached more persons than ever before as we expanded to deliver Thanksgiving meals and hope across South Florida to more than 2000 Families.
This year’s distribution took place at two locations; OYC Miami in Overtown and Andover Middle School in Miami Gardens, with a seamless drive-through format that ensured families received turkeys and all the essential ingredients for a complete holiday meal. Students from Gulliver Prep played a key role by coordinating supply drives and volunteering on the day of the event. Prior to distribution, volunteers went to Vic Garcia Art Studio to carefully load the dry good boxes up for delivery to OYC Miami.
In a season where rising costs continue to place pressure on families, the giveaway brought relief, comfort, and a renewed sense of community. “For more than two decades, this program has allowed us to stand alongside families during a time that can be difficult for many,” said Alonzo Mourning. “Ensuring households have the ingredients for a full Thanksgiving meal is one way we can offer stability and support.”
Mark Caesar, co-founder of the Caesar Iglesias Family Foundation, added, “By partnering with OYC Miami and students at Gulliver Prep, we are able to help hundreds of families prepare a complete holiday meal. This collaborative effort strengthens our community and ensures that more households can gather together with dignity during the Thanksgiving season.”
This year’s effort was made possible by an incredible coalition of supporters including Gulliver Prep, Major Food Group, Chefs Warehouse and Allen Brothers, Serving in Heels, Vic Garcia World, Miami Parking, Mocca Group, Goya Foods, The Calta Group, K12 Print, The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, ServiceMaster DSI, RJKB Family Foundation, BankUnited, The Children’s Trust, and United Way Miami. Volunteers from American Airlines, Nike, Atlantis University, BankUnited, VOUS Church, Miami Dade College, and others generously gave their time to make this event a success.
Together, we continue to nourish families and expand access to essential resources—spreading gratitude and hope, one meal at a time.
