Creates STAR Fund to Help Raise Additional Resources For Community
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Harrah's Foundation, a
private nonprofit foundation affiliated with Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
(NYSE: HET), has joined forces with the San Diego Regional Disaster Fund
which is part of the San Diego Foundation to create the STAR (Save,
Transform, Assist and Restore) Fund to assist employees of Harrah's Rincon
and those within the community who were affected in the recent San Diego
Fires. The Harrah's Foundation has seeded the STAR Fund with an initial
gift of $300,000.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/HARRAHSLOGO)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071114/LAW061)
Money raised through the STAR Fund will first provide financial
assistance to Harrah's Rincon employees who suffered losses to their
primary residence. Secondarily, funds will be directed to local charitable
organizations, tribal organizations, schools and fire and police
organizations in San Diego that provided services to those affected by the
fires. Donations may be tax deductible.
Harrah's Rincon was severely impacted by the fires. More than 1,600
employees were affected, with 35 employees losing their homes. The hotel
casino was closed for six days, becoming an official evacuation center when
the Poomacha fire initially broke out on October 23. During that time,
Harrah's Rincon took in several hundred evacuees from the Rincon and
LaJolla Reservations and the Palomar Mountain area, offering food, shelter
and support to evacuees until the American Red Cross arrived and relocated
evacuation services to a nearby high school.
Although the property was surrounded by fire, Harrah's Rincon provided
more than 1,000 hotel room nights to firefighters, emergency workers and
evacuees through November 4. The team also gave more than 6,000 meals to
employees, evacuees and emergency workers from the Fire Departments, U. S.
Marshals Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Border
Patrol, the California Department of Forestry and the National Guard. The
property reopened for business on Monday, October 29.
According to Harrah's Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman, the STAR Fund is
merely a start in recovery efforts. "It is time to turn our attention to
assisting our employees and our partner, the Rincon Tribe, in recovering
from this disaster." The company is providing information to employees
throughout the company on what they can do to assist their colleagues.
Donations to The STAR Fund can be made by check to: The Harrah's STAR
Fund, c/o The San Diego Foundation, 2508 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 20,
San Diego, CA 92106; or online via credit card at
http://www.sdfoundation.org. Click on the "After the Fires Fund/Click Here
to Donate" icon on the main page to access the form.
About the Harrah's Foundation
The Harrah's Foundation is a private, 501(c)(3) foundation established
to provide financial support to qualified organizations in communities
where Harrah's employees live and work. Established in 2002, the Harrah's
Foundation is funded by Harrah's Entertainment properties and supports
social reinvestment programs by funding eligible 501(c)(3) organizations
dedicated to seniors, education and civic programs. Since its formation,
the Harrah's Foundation has committed nearly $60 million to nonprofit
organizations throughout the United States. More information is available
at http://www.harrahscommunityrelations.com.
In 2006 alone, Harrah's Entertainment and the Harrah's Foundation
distributed, on average, nearly $1.5 million per week to philanthropic
organizations.
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded
casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries. Since its beginning in
Reno, Nevada nearly 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of
new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages
casinos on four continents. The company's properties operate primarily
under the Harrah's, Caesars and Horseshoe brand names; Harrah's also owns
the London Clubs International family of casinos. Harrah's Entertainment is
focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique
combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution,
operational excellence and technology leadership.
For more information about Harrah's, please visit:
http://www.harrahs.com.
SOURCE The Harrah's Foundation
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Related links:
http://www.harrahs.com
Photo Notes:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/HARRAHSLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071114/LAW061
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Debi Puccinelli of Harrah's Entertainment,
+1-702-469-6273, dpuccinelli@harrahs.com
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