Former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon is returning to his “second home” and helping a local nonprofit break the cycle of homelessness.
Maddon, a World Series champion and three-time Manager of the Year, will host a fundraiser for his Thanksmas charitable program Wednesday, Dec. 17, at Ava. He co-owns the upscale Italian restaurant at 718 S. Howard St. in Tampa.
Maddon officially launched Thanksmas from St. Petersburg in 2006, after becoming manager of the then-Devil Rays. Net proceeds from his upcoming event will support the Homeless Empowerment Program (HEP), which ensured that 83% of families who exited its emergency shelter program found permanent housing last year.
“You see a lot of stuff going on around Thanksgiving or Christmas,” Maddon told the Catalyst. “So, I chose any day between that and called it Thanksmas. These folks need our help on any day – not just the holidays.”
The initiative’s roots trace back to the late 1990s, when Maddon coached the Anaheim Angels. He rode his bicycle along the Southern California coast and witnessed downtrodden families and veterans pushing their belongings in shopping carts along the road.
“And of course, it bothered me,” Maddon said of the recurring sight. He eventually loaded up his 1969 Chevrolet Impala, drove to a park and handed out supplies.
“I told myself then that if I ever had a larger soapbox to stand on, I would,” Maddon explained. “I would really try to do something to impact the homeless population.”
The Pennsylvania native, of Italian and Polish descent, said food and kitchens were always “a big part of coming together.” He thought providing a nice meal would also help “bring some dignity into their lives.”
“They sit, and we serve,” Maddon said of the homeless recipients. “We want to show them that we don’t see you as being invisible. We see you there. We want to help.”
He plans to restart the initiative and selected HEP to host the first event at his Clearwater headquarters. The fundraiser Dec. 17 will aid those efforts.
Event proceeds will also help HEP provide housing, warm meals, essential resources and wraparound services to low-income and homeless Pinellas County residents. Rebecca Lett-Adams, director of development and communications at HEP, noted the nonprofit lacks a large marketing budget.
She said someone like Maddon showing their support for the organization’s efforts “makes a huge difference for people who might not normally look at a homeless shelter as being their charity of choice.” Lett-Adams explained that HEP does far more than “just house homeless individuals.”
“We have a whole program here to really break that cycle for men and women, veterans and children,” she added. “We can talk about it all we want, but when you have a figure like Joe Maddon, who is greatly respected by the community, that really holds a lot of weight.”
Tickets to the event are $150. Guests can mingle with local celebrities, bid on unique auction items and receive an autographed copy of his memoir, The Book of Joe: Trying not to Suck at Baseball & Life.
Attendees will receive the same meal Maddon serves to homeless residents: A salad, spaghetti and meatballs, homemade pierogi, freshly baked garlic bread, dessert and two glasses of wine.
Joe Maddon brought Thanksmas to Chicago, where he led the Cubs to a World Series victory in 2016.
Maddon and Lett-Adams each credited Rick Vaughn’s efforts. The public relations consultant for HEP spent over 20 years as a communications executive with the Rays and has also authored two books highlighting the area’s rich baseball history.
“Rick (Vaughn) has gotten a bunch of different Major League Baseball players and announcers to come out here for our celebrity chef series – they’ve actually served in the kitchen and dining hall,” Lett-Adams said. “So they’re going to invite, in addition to whoever they’re inviting already, all of the celebrity chefs who have come to the shelter to serve at the (fundraising) event, as well.”
She noted the local need for assistance is “non-stop and constant.” Lett-Adams said many people who were previously “scraping by” must now choose between “paying bills and feeding themselves.”
HEP served 848 Pinellas residents in 2024, including 182 children and 343 veterans. While the nonprofit needs the fundraiser’s financial support, Lett-Adams said the awareness it brings is “priceless for us.”
Maddon said Vaughn was a “driving factor” for his partnership with HEP. “And I love the people there. They have a tremendous program.”
Maddon noted that St. Vincent de Paul hosted the first Thanskmas meal for St. Petersburg’s homeless population “under an overpass not far from Tropicana Field.” He called Tampa Bay his second home and said he “loves everything” about the community.
“I’m just a snowbird right now, and loving it,” Maddon added. “I joined the St. Pete Country Club. The other day, I saw two eagles chasing an osprey. It’s an incredible place. I’m really drawn here. Very much so.”
For more information on the Thanksmas fundraiser, visit the website here.