A plentiful plate Atlanta Braves' Home Plate Project brings food to communities in need By Rosalyn Dunn * Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Braves Foundation W hen the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season, it did more than just disappoint Atlanta Braves fans. It left Truist Park fully stocked with food for fans who could not come through the gates. While the Braves had established a relief fund to help employees whose jobs had been impacted by the closure, the team wanted to throw a lifeline to the surrounding community. That's when the Atlanta Braves Foundation went to bat with the Home Plate Project. Working with the team's concessionaire, Delaware North, and community partners such as Meals on Wheels and the YMCA, the Braves donated more than 25,000 freshly prepared meals over five weeks that spring. They also sent their Los Bravos food truck to medical centers throughout " Braves Country " to feed health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic response. More than 100 of the Braves' front office employees joined in with the effort by assisting with packing and distribution events. Danielle Bedasse, Braves vice president for community affairs and executive director of the Atlanta Braves Joining forces with Atlanta Braves employees at food-distribution events are volunteers with partners such as Chick-fi l-A and the C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Community Teaching Kitchen. 16 Georgia Magazine April 2024