“I’d see all these guys – and women with their children, all of them with their whole lives in a basket. I could not stand to see the inequity in all this. They are invisible. They become invisible. And I always thought if I was in the position to get on a soap box, I would remember those people. Because they aren’t invisible to me.”
– Joe Maddon
Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon first introduced his annual Thanksmas program in 2006 with the purpose of bringing awareness to the homeless situation in Tampa Bay.
“It is a matter in need of our attention,” says the Rays sixth-year manager. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, there were nearly 24,000 homeless in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties in 2010, nearly half of those in Hillsborough alone. Amazingly, Florida had 49,112 homeless students in 2010. That number includes 2,462 in Pinellas, 3,148 in Hillsborough and 2,183 in Pasco.
Says Maddon: “I really challenge people that if you volunteer for one day, you’ll become more empathetic to the situation and want to give more time or do whatever you possibly can do to help.”
Joe's Bio
In 2011, Joe Maddon was named American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America for the second time in his six seasons as manager of the Rays. Joe also won the award in 2008 and is one of only four active managers to win it multiple times joining Mike Scioscia, Jim Leyland and Dusty Baker. Maddon guided the Rays to the postseason in three of the last four seasons including a World Series appearance in 2008 when the Rays went from a 66-96 record in 2007 to a 97-65 mark, the third greatest turnaround in AL history. Joe is the longest-tenured and winningest manager in Rays history with a 495-477 (.509) record. Only four major league managers have been at their current post longer than Maddon: Scioscia, Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire and Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel. The 2012 season is Joe’s 38th season in professional baseball,19th at the major league level. Prior to joining the Rays, he spent 31 years in the Angels organization. He managed the American League to a 4-3 win over the NL in the 80th All-Star Game at St. Louis July 14, 2009. Joe and his wife, Jaye, reside in Tampa, FL.
Follow Joe on Twitter @RaysJoeMaddon
