Centerplate and the Tampa Bay Rays host the Heart Gallery of Pasco and Pinellas Counties at Tropicana Field

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, the hospitality provider at Tropicana Field, and the Tampa Bay Rays partner to host one of the year's most anticipated events—Celebrate Me Home!—for the Heart Gallery of Pasco and Pinellas Counties on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.

Launched as a grass-roots community initiative in 2006, The Heart Gallery of Pinellas & Pasco is an independent, charitable organization inspired by many other successful Heart Galleries throughout the US, which include professional portraits and profiles of local foster children to promote adoption.

At tonight's fundraising event, guests will don their favorite baseball attire under the dome at Tropicana Field for an unforgettable evening complete with magic, entertainment, a silent auction, a delicious dinner and the opportunity to support the Heart Gallery's mission.

"We were excited to join forces with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Heart Gallery of Pinellas and Pasco Counties to help raise awareness for the critical need to find families for children living in foster care," said Bill Tracy, Regional Vice President for Centerplate and Heart Gallery board member. "Centerplate strives to enhance the communities in which we live and work and we're extremely pleased to host this amazing event as part of our ongoing relationship with the organization."

In 2010, the Tampa Bay Rays donated a suite at Tropicana Field to create The Home Run Club, for foster children and their families. With food and beverages provided by Centerplate, each season over 60 foster children become club members and attend a series of home games in the suite. Through the help of the Heart Gallery and local partner Eckerd Community Alternatives, the club has given a sense of stability and belonging to hundreds of foster children and adoptive families throughout the Tampa Bay area and the state of Florida.  When the suite isn't being used for The Home Run Club events, the Heart Gallery and Eckerd host special adoption events to introduce children to prospective families.

Centerplate will donate all food, beverage and services for the Celebrate Me Home! dinner, and all proceeds from tonight's event will provide continued funding for the Heart Gallery of Pinellas and Pasco Counties.

About Centerplate
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in more than 300 prominent entertainment, sports, and convention venues across North America and the United Kingdom. Centerplate has provided hospitality services to marquee events, including 30 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 21 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com.

About the Heart Gallery
Our mission is to provide an emotionally safe way to promote local adoption. As part of the national Heart Gallery movement, the Heart Gallery of Pinellas & Pasco was created to serve foster children and prospective adoptive families. The Heart Gallery is a place where families looking for children come face to face with children in need of a forever, adoptive home. Professional photographers give their time and their talent to create amazing portraits of foster children available for adoption, and a host of volunteers make the Gallery a reality. Since 2006, the Heart Gallery has helped over 159 children find their forever families. To learn more visit heartgallerykids.org.

SOURCE Centerplate

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