Miami Heat Legend Udonis Haslem Partners With Wells Fargo To Support South Florida Communities

Anthony Pasciolla | Sep 18, 2024

Wells Fargo, The Bank of Doing, and Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade surprised local single mother, Mable Henderson, with new kitchen appliances and an outdoor living space on September 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, FL. /

Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem retired from the NBA in 2023, but his impact on South Florida is far from finished.

While Haslem remains involved in the sports world as the Heat's vice president of basketball development, he is also serving surrounding communities. Haslem recently partnered with Wells Fargo, The Bank of Doing, to aid families across South Florida.

He shared with Miami Heat On SI's Anthony Pasciolla the importance of teaming up for this initiative.

"It's important because the needs of the people change, the community changes, and if you're not on the ground, if you're not connected to the people, you don't really understand the struggles they're going through every day," Haslem shared. "So I'm a person that I don't need to read the paper [or] see it on the news. I'm connected to the community."

The large majority of Haslem's basketball career took place in Miami, so it is surely an honor to assist those around him. He won two high school state championships at Miami Senior High School, spent four years at University of Florida, and won three titles with the Heat.

"Understanding housing is a huge issue in South Florida. I think a home is somewhere you come and feel comfortable, you should feel proud of that place, confident, and safe. That's your sanctuary, that's your mental happy space," Haslem said. "Understanding what Wells Fargo is doing and being the Bank of Doing, not just talking. Putting money behind the initiative."

Haslem noted that $1.2 million has been committed to the process, resulting in the repairs of 75 homes across 46 different communities. He then mentioned one of the many people impacted by the partnership, Ms. Mable Henderson. She is a Miami native who achieved her lifelong dream of independently owning a home in 2018, but her home required critical repairs to maintain quality of life for her family. Thanks to Haslem and Wells Fargo, these repairs were made possible, leaving her with nothing but smiles.

Miami HEAT legend, Udonis Haslem, joined Wells Fargo, The Bank of Doing, and Rebuilding Together to surprise Miami native, Mable Henderson, with new kitchen appliances and an outdoor living space during a volunteer event on September 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, FL. /

"Ms. Mable is just one of many that have this fight going on," Haslem said. "They get up, hit the ground running, work hard, and do all the right things. This is an example for so many people that there are people that care there are people that are listening, and help is on the way if you just go down the right path and do the right things."

As an esteemed member of the Miami community, it should not come as a surprise to see the Heat legend helping those around him.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.