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Hispanic Excellence: Nonprofit & Public Service | Florida Panthers

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  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, September 26th 2025 at 12:13 GMT by National Hockey League
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Florida Panthers Team Up with Hispanic Excellence Nonprofit to Strengthen Public Service in Florida’s Hispanic Communities

The NHL’s Florida Panthers have announced a new partnership with Hispanic Excellence, a nonprofit organization that has been empowering Florida’s Hispanic population through education, mentorship, and civic engagement for over two decades. The collaboration, unveiled on the Panthers’ official website, highlights the team’s commitment to community service and signals a broader effort to elevate the voices and opportunities of an often‑underrepresented demographic in the Sunshine State.

A Quick Snapshot of Hispanic Excellence

Founded in 2004 by a group of educators and community leaders, Hispanic Excellence (HE) has grown into a statewide network that offers scholarships, college‑prep programs, leadership training, and health‑education workshops to Hispanic students and families. The organization’s mission statement, as detailed on its website, is “to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of Hispanic leaders through comprehensive educational support and community partnership.”

Key statistics from the article—citing the nonprofit’s annual reports—include:

• Over 1,200 scholarships awarded in the past five years.
• 12,000+ students enrolled in the “Future Leaders” mentoring program.
• Annual health‑education outreach reaching more than 8,000 families across Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and the Panhandle.

Hispanic Excellence’s board comprises leaders from academia, business, and government, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to community upliftment. The organization also runs a quarterly newsletter that covers policy updates, educational opportunities, and stories of Hispanic achievers in Florida.

The Florida Panthers’ Community Legacy

The Panthers have long been involved in community initiatives under the umbrella of the Florida Panthers Family Foundation. The Foundation’s “Panthers for Good” program has funded scholarships for local youth, supported local hospitals, and organized volunteer drives for hurricane relief. The article notes that the Panthers’ philanthropic budget for the 2023‑24 season has increased by 15%, with a specific allocation toward minority outreach programs.

Player involvement is a cornerstone of the Panthers’ community work. The article quotes Panthers captain Cody Eakin: “When I was growing up in Miami, my parents fought hard to give me an education. I want to give back to the community that shaped me, and partnering with Hispanic Excellence is a powerful way to do that.”

How the Partnership Will Work

The collaboration is structured around several joint initiatives:

1. Scholarship Matching
   The Panthers will match scholarships awarded by Hispanic Excellence for students who are part of the Panthers’ Youth Hockey Academy. Every scholarship of up to $5,000 will receive an additional $5,000 from the Panthers, effectively doubling the financial support for promising Hispanic hockey players.

2. Community “Day‑in‑the‑Life” Events
   The article outlines a series of public service days during the NHL season where Panthers players, staff, and volunteers will visit Hispanic Excellence’s community centers to conduct workshops on leadership, health, and sportsmanship. These events will be streamed live on the Panthers’ social media channels to raise awareness and encourage fan participation.

3. Health & Wellness Outreach
   Leveraging the Panthers’ partnership with The Miami Hospital Center, the teams will provide free health screenings—blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes—at Hispanic Excellence events. The partnership also plans to distribute informational materials on mental health, nutrition, and injury prevention.

4. Leadership Development Seminars
   The Panthers will sponsor a quarterly seminar series for high school and college students that covers topics ranging from “Building a College Resume” to “Public Speaking & Advocacy.” Former Panthers players will serve as guest speakers, sharing their own journeys from the rink to the boardroom.

Impact on the Community

The article cites a 2022 study by the University of Florida that found that communities with robust educational support systems see a 12% increase in high‑school graduation rates and a 9% rise in college enrollment among Hispanic youth. By pairing scholarship funds with mentorship, the Panthers’ partnership with Hispanic Excellence is poised to further amplify these positive trends.

Additionally, the partnership has already begun to attract corporate sponsors. Coca‑Cola Bottling Florida and AT&T announced joint sponsorships for the first “Panthers‑HE Scholarship Fund,” a $250,000 pool earmarked for students excelling in both academics and community service. The article notes that the funds will also be earmarked for scholarships to play collegiate hockey, thereby widening the pipeline for Hispanic talent in the sport.

Voices from Both Sides

On the Panthers’ side, General Manager Jim Rutherford remarked, “We’re thrilled to partner with a nonprofit that has a proven track record of empowering our local communities. This partnership demonstrates that the Panthers are more than a hockey franchise; we’re a community partner and an agent of positive change.”

From Hispanic Excellence, Executive Director Maria Alvarez highlighted the strategic importance of sports as a conduit for community engagement: “When we bring athletes into our programs, we’re not just offering scholarships; we’re offering role models who show that hard work, resilience, and teamwork can translate into success—both on and off the ice.”

Looking Ahead

The Panthers and Hispanic Excellence plan to roll out the partnership in stages, with an inaugural “Hispanic Heritage Month” celebration scheduled for October 2024. The event will feature a special all‑star game where former Panthers players will compete against a roster of local youth athletes in a charity match. Proceeds from ticket sales will go directly into the scholarship matching fund.

Both organizations have expressed excitement about the long‑term potential of the partnership. Hispanic Excellence’s board is already exploring the possibility of establishing a Panthers Academy, a hybrid program that combines hockey training with academic tutoring and college counseling. The Panthers, meanwhile, are looking to replicate the model in other minority communities across the United States, starting with a pilot program in the Boston area.

Final Thoughts

By aligning their resources and values, the Florida Panthers and Hispanic Excellence have created a blueprint for how professional sports teams can meaningfully contribute to community development. The partnership goes beyond the rink, offering tangible support to thousands of Hispanic families in Florida. As the season unfolds, fans will have an easy way to witness the positive ripple effect—whether it’s a child earning a scholarship or a community center hosting a health screening—demonstrating that the Panthers’ commitment to public service is as solid as their on‑ice performance.