On January 12, 2024, the Dallas Mavericks and the Mavs Foundation held a court dedication ceremony at the Cedar Crest Community Center in the South Oak Cliff neighborhood in Dallas. The beloved 8-acre center has served the community for over 50 years. It offers full-size football, soccer and baseball fields along with the newly renovated full-size basketball court, which features new hardwood floors, goal systems, scoreboards, safety equipment and bleachers. We were honored to support this vital community center alongside Sprite and S2 Capital.
The court dedication was hosted by Dallas Mavericks players Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr.; Mavs Foundation President Katie Edwards; Behind Every Door President and CEO Darrion Lewis Sr.; and former Dallas Mavericks player, head coach and Behind Every Door Board Member Avery Johnson. A performance by D-Town Crew and a basketball clinic for students hosted by Mavs Academy followed, and the community celebrated the center’s opening with the Cedar Crest Block Party.
Senior HRBP Manager at ShiftKey Marcus Unuigbey, who attended the dedication, said:
“When Avery Johnson spoke, he emphasized how the community center serves as a positive environment for children, a space for personal growth and an outlet with opportunities they might not have had otherwise. For me, this was a powerful reminder that our work extends beyond the confines of the office. When we support initiatives like this, we contribute to creating a better future for the communities we operate in.”
In addition to athletics, Cedar Crest offers the neighborhood’s 17,000 residents — including over 1,000 children and teens — access to health and mental health clinics, a boardroom, afterschool programs and many other amenities. Owned by the Salvation Army until 2019, when it closed due to budget cuts, Cedar Crest is now a part of the Behind Every Door family, a nonprofit based in Dallas that runs two other community centers.
The Mavs Foundation has provided $10 million in funding to nonprofits and built 56 “Learn & Play” spaces over the past 27 years. We’re proud to be a presenting sponsor of the foundation’s Mavs Ball and Toast to Tipoff, both of which support the foundation’s many impactful community initiatives. The new court at Cedar Crest is sure to benefit the South Oak Cliff community for many years to come. Marcus says: “At the court dedication, I had the privilege of witnessing the joy and excitement radiating from the children at the Cedar Crest Community Center in Dallas. Looking ahead, I believe that the new court will be a lasting source of joy and inspiration for the South Oak Cliff community. Our involvement in this project aligns with our company’s commitment to giving back, and I’m grateful to be part of an organization that understands the importance of investing in the well-being of others.”
