You Inspire Us: What Casinos and Organizations are Doing to Help Their Communities
Through the challenge of closing their doors last week, casinos across the country stepped up to provide critical food donations to local communities. Here are a few stories from Raving clients and friends about casinos that donated perishable food and who it will benefit. View a full list on CDC Gaming Reports.
NB3 Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund
NB3 Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund: Sorting and packing food boxes video
Through the generous support of donors, the Notah Begay III Foundation has been able to purchase food and water for their first direct distribution to Native families impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis.
In the coming days, their team will be sorting and packing
food boxes for delivery. By early next week, 300 large food boxes and 5,000 gallons of water will have been delivered to the Navajo Nation. Watch Video
This is only the beginning! There is still a lot of work to be done. Give today! And together we can help ensure Native children, elders and families are receiving the resources they need.
Mashantucket Police Join Nationwide Movement: Sunset Solidarity
As Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation look to offer support and inspiration during these times, one Tribal police officer has taken it upon himself to bring joy and hope to local residents by reviving a centuries-old tradition – playing the bagpipes.
Every night at sunset since March 31, Officer Tom Miskell of the Mashantucket Western Pequot Police Department plays the bagpipes for members of the Tribal community. The custom, referred to as “Sunset Solidarity,” is performed by first responders and meant to inspire courage and provide hope for locals. The Mashantucket police are among the first to bring this tradition to the Northeast.
Officer Miskell has been playing the bagpipes for 11 years and is a member of the Tribe’s newly established Honor Guard. Tom finds a different location on the Mashantucket Reservation to play every night, including in front of the Grand Pequot Hotel, at the community gardens, and even on top of the Fox Tower so more and more people can hear the music. The department plans to continue this tradition until the pandemic eventually ends. Read the full story here
Elwha River Casino
Every year, the Elwha River Casino hosts an Annual Easter egg hunt for the Lower Elwha Community, but this year due to COVID-19 it was canceled. However, they didn’t forget about the kids! Working alongside Tribal Gaming, they made and distributed over 250 Easter baskets to Elwha Tribal community children! They’re proud to be able to help the community during this time of uncertainty! View post and photos
7 Cedars
Caesars Entertainment
In addition to the thousands of pounds of food donations, Caesars Entertainment’s resorts have distributed thousands of items including masks, gloves, sanitizer and more to nearby communities throughout the U.S. To date, the company has supplied more than 250,000 pounds of food, which is equivalent to approximately 208,000 meals to numerous food banks and charities. Read Press Release
Indigo Sky Casino
Thousands of pounds of perishable food were given to Watered Gardens Ministries in Joplin, MO, whose barren shelves were in need of this donation. Watered Gardens Ministries serves over 2,000 meals per week to families in need.
Ocean Casino Resort
Ocean Casino Resort donated more than 6,000 pounds of food to help the Food Bank of South Jersey respond during this pandemic. Items like milk, fresh fruits, and vegetables made up majority of the donation.
Elk Valley Casino Resort
Elk Valley Casino loaded up all perishable food from the Full House Bar and Grill – consisting of fresh produce and dairy products – to donate to their local Senior Center. The Del Norte Senior Center offers a variety of services and activities for seniors and their families. These include nutrition programs, recreational activities, and information and assistance.
Angel of the Winds Casino Resort
The food inventory from Angel of the Winds Casino Resort’s dining venues was donated to the Arlington Community Food Bank and the Stanwood Camano Food Bank. This donation is their latest effort to further care for the well-being of our team and make a positive impact on local community.
Gila River Hotels & Casinos
A day after Gila River Hotels & Casinos temporarily closed to help prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), their team delivered approximately $60,000 worth of perishable food items, 20 palettes of water and 98 cases of toilet paper to the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) that will be given to elders and families. Team members from Gila River Hotels & Casinos, GRIC Office of Emergency Managment, and Community Services worked around the clock on logistics to quickly expedite the deliveries to everyone.
Snoqualmie Tribe and Casino
With the closure of the Snoqualmie Tribal Campus to visitors and non-essential employees, and the closure of the Snoqualmie Casino, a joint team moved quickly to sort, package and deliver over two thousand pounds of fresh produce and dairy from the casino’s five dining venues to community organizations that are servicing families facing hardship. Read Press Release
Wynn Resorts
Wynn Resorts announced it is donating more than $2.5 million worth of goods to local medical facilities and nonprofits. Wynn Resorts was able to procure and will donate this week 240,000 N95 equivalent CDC approved respirator masks, 600,000 surgical masks, 500,000 pairs of medical gloves and thousands of medical gowns to our hospitals throughout Las Vegas. Read full story here
There are many stories like the ones above. If your casino has a story of giving back, we want to hear about it. Send your press releases, videos, photos, and stories to Chris Faria, [email protected]. Thank you all for paying it forward in this time of need!