Announcement made during Saturday’s Orlando Wine Festival and Auction
ORLANDO - Back in September 2021, at Orlando Magic Media Day for the 2021-22 season, Wendell Carter Jr. was asked about how he’s able to motivate his teammates through his words and actions.
His response was golden.
“Probably the first thing I do is lead by example,” he had said. “We are all humans. Sometimes my teammates will get down, including myself, and we just (need) to hold each other accountable and be there for one another. When I can sense one of my teammates being down or getting down on themselves or deferring a shot because they missed their last two shots, whenever there’s a break, I like to go up to them and be like: ‘man, take your next shot, take it like you know you are going to be make it.’”
As we’ve learned about Carter over the last couple years, he lives what he preaches, walking the walk rather than just talking the talk. The positive energy he brings, along with all the leadership qualities he possesses, has lifted his teammates time and time again. It’s one of the many reasons why the Magic have made so much progress this season.
Best of all is that he has the same approach in all aspects of his life. Ever since arriving in Orlando following that March 2021 blockbuster trade from Chicago, Carter has made a big impact on the Central Florida community through his philanthropic actions and engagement. He has consistently volunteered his time in the community to support the Magic’s mission of ‘being World Champions on and off court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way.’
On Saturday, March 25, during the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, which benefits the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), the 23-year-old was recognized for his acts of kindness and generosity by being named the 2022-23 Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award (CEA) winner.
“It feels amazing,” said Carter, the 19th Magic player to ever earn this honor. “It’s very special just as a team trying to serve and give back to the community…I’m excited and looking forward to doing it again next year.”
Among Carter’s community involvement this season were hosting and sponsoring a Thanksgiving turkey dinner distribution event with the Magic for 350 underserved families; hosting a holiday party for 65 local youth from the Boys to Men Mentoring organization; adopting students in the STEM program at Oakridge High School to continue to encourage and motivate them; and holding a TopGolf fundraiser to raise money for his family’s A Platform2 Foundation.
By winning the CEA award, Carter will be granted $20,000 from the DeVos Family Foundation and an additional $5,000 from the Magic to donate to a charity of his choice.
Philanthropy has always been a staple of Carter’s upbringing. His mother, Kylia Carter, taught him at a young age about the importance of giving back.
“I give a lot of credit to my mom,” he said. “Coming up, she was the one who told me no matter how successful I get, make sure you always give back to the community that raised you. I just try to do the best job I can making kids feel wanted, feel special – so they can just continue to do great things.”
The third-ever Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, which is the Magic’s signature fundraiser, featured live music, live auction displays, local and celebrity chefs, wineries, and food pavilions. All the Magic’s coaches and players attended. Each guest will also receive an invitation to the OMYF grant ceremony, where all funds from the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction will be distributed to local nonprofit organizations.
Led by the DeVos family’s unrelenting devotion to helping others reach their full potential, the Magic play a huge part in the strengthening of the Central Florida community.
“We grew up with it,” Magic Chairman Dan DeVos said of his family’s community engagement and outreach. “It’s something my parents have always done. They always taught us that everybody has something to give – time, talent, treasure, whatever it may be. That’s just part of what we do. It’s sort of our DNA. Wherever you are, throughout the country and throughout the world of course, there are people that need things – and it’s our responsibility to help.”
As Magic CEO Alex Martins has seen firsthand over the years, the participation from the coaches and players helps create much-needed community awareness.
“It shows their devotion, number one. And number two, they want to do it,” Martins said. “We have such a great group of high-character individuals that we’ve hired as coaches and that we’ve drafted as players, and it’s part of their DNA as well. It’s important to them also. What it does for an event like this is it amps it up. People want to associate with them. People want to be able to be sitting at tables with them or rubbing elbows with them. And, by the way, the players have a great time as well.”
The Magic and the DeVos family are committed to making a difference in Central Florida. Each year, the Magic give more than $2 million to Central Florida by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. At the heart of the Magic’s charitable efforts is the work done by the OMYF.
The OMYF is committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at-risk, by supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of education, housing/homelessness, the arts and health programs focused on preventing childhood obesity.
Over the last 32 years, more than $27 million has been distributed to local nonprofit community organizations through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the OMYF Open Golf Tournament and its signature fundraiser, the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction.
In early April, the OMYF will present checks totaling $1 million to local nonprofit organizations, marking the 15th time the OMYF has distributed $1 million to the Central Florida community since OMYF's inception in 1990.