Rivers Casino Des Plaines Celebrates Inaugural 'Rivers Gives Day of Service' and Announces Millions in Planned Charitable Giving for 2023
Team members at Rivers Casino Des Plaines joined 6,000 other Rush Street Gaming colleagues and participated in Rush Street Gaming's inaugural, companywide "Rivers Gives Day of Service" on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The community engagement initiative involved five properties across four states. In addition to the acts of community service, Rivers Des Plaines announces its charitable donations, grants, and scholarships for 2023 will exceed $3.48 million for the calendar year, with $1.2 million already disbursed.
To commemorate "Rivers Gives Day of Service," the Des Plaines team members packed meals for Feed My Starving Children, prepared personalized "Chemo Care" and "Kids Care" packages for Lemons of Love to deliver to area hospitals and cancer centers, and hosted an on-site blood drive.
"Rivers Casino is committed to the health, well-being and economic vitality of the communities in which we operate and to those who have served our country," said Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rivers Casino and Rush Street Gaming. "By concentrating our efforts around these key areas, we expect to heighten our impact while continuing other community engagement initiatives throughout the year."
For 2023, Rivers projects it will distribute more than $3.48 million in donations, grants and scholarships through its Rivers Gives Foundation. Since opening, Rivers Des Plaines' philanthropic arm has disbursed more than $15 million in grants and donations to area charities, organizations, and educational institutions.
Recognizing that the cost of higher education is a significant source of stress and anxiety, Rivers Des Plaines and its foundation have prioritized supporting the educational pursuits of team members or their immediate family members. In 2023, Rivers plans to provide more than $870,000 in team member scholarships. By the end of the year, Rivers Gives will have provided team members and their families with more than $6 million in educational scholarships since opening.
Across their operating markets, Rivers Casino and Rush Street Gaming annually contribute approximately $14 million to local nonprofit partners and various community groups. Through Rivers Gives, each Rivers Casino annually contributes about 2,000 volunteer hours per property to local nonprofit partners. In addition to volunteerism, Rivers Gives comprises board service, donation drives, in-kind contributions, and corporate giving.
Rivers Gives will increasingly focus on three imperatives to enhance the quality of life for its regional casino communities: health and human services; workforce development and economic opportunity; and supporting U.S. military and veterans.