When Orlando fans think of the Magic, they first think about basketball.

But the organization’s local impact goes well beyond the NBA court.

This week, staff from the Magic, Solar Bears and Osceola Magic are participating in 11 volunteer opportunities at Central Florida nonprofits over a four-day period as part of the franchise’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.

A total of 260 staff members from all three entities are volunteering to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as part of the team’s “MLK Week of Service.”

“Going to 11 different locations around Central Florida … It’s just great to get us all out there and volunteering back into the community,” Magic president of business operations Charlie Freeman said Thursday at the Ronald McDonald House on the campus of AdventHealth for Children.

Freeman and Magic staff spent time in the kitchen baking sweet treats and cooking lasagna for the families staying at the house.

Earlier in the week, Magic managing director Ryan DeVos and other staff helped sort and organize essential resources at The Sharing Center in Orlando. Additional volunteer work this week includes helping Habitat for Humanity build a home, packing meals for Second Harvest and a park beatification with the group Keep Orlando Beautiful, among other opportunities.

“This is really special,” Freeman said. “It’s just a small way to give back and make a difference.

“That, along with all the other projects we’re doing this week, it means so much,” he added. “For the Magic, community is a core value and it all starts with the DeVos family. We love giving back.”

Kaycee Flora Huber, vice president of community partnerships and programs for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, who’s been with the nonprofit for nine years, shared why it’s important for organizations such as the Magic to volunteer.

“When community partners like the Orlando Magic come in, they are supporting our families during what is a really critical time for them,” she said. “Our families are usually experiencing a child that has ongoing medical care or treatments or maybe inpatients.

“So, when groups get to come here like the Orlando Magic, they’re making afternoons just a little bit more special,” she added.

Staying at the Ronald McDonald House comes at no cost to families as their child receives treatment, Flora Huber said. Everything, from a private bedroom, a private bathroom, and a meal every day, as well as essential items such as hygiene kits and more, is complimentary.

“We’re really walking alongside the family during their child’s medical treatment so our staff really is there to hear their stories, support them, (and) connect them to resources at the hospital that they may need,” she said. “Our families, they become a part of our story, but we become a part of their story as a family, too.

“When they leave, the Ronald McDonald House usually stays with them for life and it’s really special,” she added.

When an organization such as the Magic supports the house, the franchise’s impact can go a long way and inspire others in the community to step up, Flora Huber explained.

“I really think that for anyone that sees, whether it’s a local business or organization, leaders coming out to support our families shows that really anyone can be doing this to support the families of RMH,” she said. “We really do make an emphasis on all ages and the whole family can come here and provide volunteering to our families.

“It’s a great opportunity for the local community to see that the Orlando Magic is involved, that they should involved,” she added. “It’s a great way to really provide just a little bit of closeness, comfort and care for families that are experiencing a really hard time in their journey as a family.”

For the Magic, they’re just happy to have the opportunity to help out.

“We talk about, obviously, on the court and entertaining our fans, but this is what’s really impactful, being off the court making a difference in the lives of others,” Freeman said. “If the Magic could be a small part of it, that’s what it’s all about.”

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com