During these economic times it’s no secret that the food banks and soup kitchens have much of their funding reduced with many looking to the community for help in order for them to keep supplying the less fortunate with meals

.

Knowing the problems caused by reduced funding Monticello Casino and Raceway took the bull by the horns and collected non-perishable items which they in tern donated to the needy.

On August 24, due to the generosity of Monticello Casino & Raceway employees and the Monticello Raceway Horseman, 2,372 non-perishable items were collected and were sent to the Federation for the Homeless in Monticello.

“It gives us great pleasure to be able help the organizations that provide assistance to the less fortunate,” noted Cliff Ehrlich, Monticello Casino and Raceway President and General Manager . “Along with the non-perishable food we also donated 10 tickets to the upcoming Kiwanis-Rotary Joint Club Barbecue and $91.00 in cash.”

Not only were food and amenities collected at the Casino but members of the facility’s maintenance department shipped the food to the offices of the Federation For the Homeless.

Donations to the needy have been an annual endeavor for Monticello Casino and Raceway. According to Eileen Cavanaugh the Director of Human Resources, donations to the needy began in 2004, the first year the casino was open.

“HR has always spearheaded the efforts which began with turkey and gift certificate giveaways to the needy during Thanksgiving which now has become an annual thing,” Cavanaugh said.

“ Recently we read about the plight of the Federation For The Homeless and that one individual stepped up with assistance. So in an effort to also help the less fortunate in our community we decided to donate foods that are so badly needed by that support organization.”

(Monticello Raceway)