Udonis Haslem
No professional athlete has personified the spirit of “the 305” more than Udonis Haslem, a Miami native whose leadership, voice, work ethic, and passion made him the embodiment of Miami HEAT culture for 20 seasons and three NBA Championships, as well as a beacon in his hometown. Haslem founded the Udonis Haslem Children’s Foundation in 2005 with the mission to promote youth development and self-confidence. As the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, Haslem partnered with Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell to launch his ‘Power Forward Through Hunger’ initiative focused on feeding underprivileged and at-risk communities throughout Miami by personally delivering pre-packaged meals. In 2022, UD Kids became The Udonis Haslem Foundation and evolved to broaden the organization’s scope of impact by focusing on mental health initiatives, particularly as they relate to criminal justice reform. In 2019, Udonis accepted the prestigious Don Shula Sports Legend Award for his extraordinary achievements on the court and his contributions to the community and in 2021, he was the first ever recipient of the Sports Illustrated Hometown Hero Award.