Marlins continue Hurricane Dorian relief efforts

MIAMI -- A month after Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas, the Marlins on Wednesday continued their relief efforts for those on the islands impacted by the major storm.

Before noon at the Marlins Park loading dock, 18 pallets containing canned goods, bottled water, paper products, generators and more were packed into a truck to be delivered to the Bahamas.

“The response from the overall community has been so encouraging for our fans. The call to action that we put to them in the month of September and their response has been overwhelming, along with our partners,” Marlins chief revenue officer Adam Jones said.

For much of September, Marlins Park had been used as a donations site. Fans were encouraged to bring items to the park during the Marlins’ final two homestands.

Wednesday marked the second relief drive conducted by the club and its partners, along with officials from the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County.

“The city of Miami is blessed to have partners like the Marlins, who are good corporate citizens,” Miami mayor Francis X. Suarez said. “They not only care about our city, but they care about our brothers and sisters in the Bahamas that are just about 100 miles away.”

The first relief effort was on Sept. 19, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez participated. That day, Marlins infield prospects Jazz Chisholm (Miami's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) and Ian Lewis, both natives of the Bahamas, helped raise awareness for the relief efforts.

The Marlins also have donated more than $12,000 to the Red Cross for Hurricane Dorian relief.

Since Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas, the Marlins received support from their corporate partners, Pepsi, Sedano’s Supermarket, Goya and Good Greek Moving & Storage.

“It’s important for a community like ours, in a developed country like ours, to come together and show our generosity,” Suarez said.

Also attending Wednesday’s relief effort were Marlins chief operating officer, Marlins vice president of public affairs Alfredo Mesa, Marlins Foundation executive director Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza and team mascot Billy the Marlin.

Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter and ownership have stressed since they took over in October 2017 that the organization would be active in the community.

“We’re the community’s team, and from day one the commitment from Derek and ownership was we were going to reintroduce ourselves and be that stakeholder to this community that they may have been lacking,” Jones said. “This is just a continuation of that commitment.”