MLB.COM: Yankees Spread Holiday Cheer With Turkey Feast
Leave it to the Yankees to help the needy. On Friday evening, the Yankees, Legends Hospitality and the Supportive Children’s Advocacy Network teamed up to host a Thanksgiving feast for several hundred local residents at SCAN-NY’s Mullaly Recreation Center in the Bronx.
The local residents had all the trimmings of a Thanksgiving dinner from turkey to salad to sweet potato pie. The food was made by Matthew Gibson, senior executive chef at Yankee Stadium, and his team. One can bet that everyone went home happy.
“We are working next door [at Yankee Stadium] and giving back to the community,” said chef Jimmy D’Heron, who has been given out food to the local residents for the last seven years. We feel better helping these guys out instead of [bringing in] hot dogs. We have a smile on our faces.”
SCAN-NY has provided support to thousands of New York City-based at-risk families since 1977. Their mission is to provide these families and children living in East Harlem and the South Bronx with integrated family-focused programming that uses a positive approach to harness self-esteem, initiative and the development of life skills. The Yankees have played a big role in helping SCAN-NY.
“It’s good to see [the Yankees] give back from right across the street. It’s great to see them working with the community … 100 percent,” said Warren McDowell, who is the program director at the Mullaly Recreation Center. “They have been a great partner with us and they are helping … the kids have a good time throughout the year.”
Brian Smith, the Yankees’ senior vice president of corporate and community outreach, said it was an honor to work with neighbors and community partners.
“We are super excited to spread holiday cheer,” Smith said. “During the holidays everybody deserves an opportunity to smile and have a great time, and that’s what we see here tonight. Everybody’s mingling and enjoying an amazing meal.”
The Yankees are far from done when it comes to helping people. They will have their Christmas food drive and then move into their Winter Wonderland, where they will invite 5,000 area youth to Yankee Stadium. They will all leave with a gift and every family in attendance will have a meal. The Yankees will team up with Walmart, Legends Hospitality and the community partners.