More than 50 members of the Coyotes organization will volunteer in two separate community service projects.
The day is an opportunity for Coyotes staff to put into action the work Chavez modeled, Gutierrez said
"I think it is very meaningful and impactful to have our organization do what he did -- which is to be in service of others," Gutierrez said. "He truly personified self-sacrifice and being a man for others."
Gutierrez and Coyotes Chief Hockey Development Officer Shane Doan will join a number of front office staff volunteering at
St. Mary's Food Bank
in Central Phoenix, packing emergency food boxes with non-perishable items, sorting food and replenishing bulk produce.
The Mission of the St. Mary's Food Bank's goal is to alleviate hunger through the gathering and distribution of food, while encouraging self-sufficiency, collaboration, advocacy and education.
Additional Coyotes staff will volunteer at
Spaces of Opportunity
, a community desert botanical garden in South Phoenix. Volunteers will prep, plant, and harvest in a 20-acre shared-use incubator farm and community garden.
Spaces of Opportunity works in conjunction with the
Tiger Mountain Foundation
, whose mission is to build flourishing community gardens, provide job skills, support and workforce development through neighborhood revitalization, and beautification with multi-ethnic and multi-generational initiatives.
Chavez is perhaps best known for establishing the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers of America-UFW), which empowers migrant farm workers and seeks to improve wages and working conditions. The UFW also promotes non-violence and educates members on political and social issues.
Indeed, Chavez's life work revolved around "La Causa," or "The Cause," which was to highlight and improve U.S. farm laborers' working and living conditions.
Gutierrez often references this quote from Chavez: "We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own."
Added the Coyotes CEO: "To me, those are the types of words that really guide what we as an organization want to be about. We want to use the power of sports to make a difference in the lives of others, and particularly, in the lives of all those here in our community. Cesar personified impact and service, and we are grateful for the opportunity to honor him on this special day by working with two very impactful community organizations."
"Being a community leader is something that's core to everyone in the organization. I am really excited that we will be volunteering as a group of community leaders. I am very proud of this organization and this ownership group because we are living Cesar's words and deeds when it comes to being of service to others."
