As Thanksgiving approached in the United States, Delaware North locations showed their thanks by giving back to the communities they serve. Whether through food donations, volunteering or charitable giving, Delaware North associates especially embodied the company's “Do Right” core value this time of year.
Here is a sampling of how Delaware North is giving back this holiday season:
TD Garden’s 24th annual Table of Friends event feeds the homeless
TD Garden officially began the holiday season with the annual Table of Friends event this Tuesday. For nearly 25 years, Garden Neighborhood Charities, TD Garden’s philanthropic organization, has hosted the community event for Boston’s homeless to enjoy a homecooked Thanksgiving meal.
“I think it’s part of our responsibility as the TD Garden to give back to this community where we live,” TD Garden President Amy Latimer told The Boston Globe. “It’s very easy to get wrapped up in your own world, and then this gives you a different perspective, for sure.”
The annual event brought together volunteers from Delaware North, TD Garden, the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics and many officials from the city and state. Thanks to Delaware North’s Sportservice team, the volunteers served 700 pounds of turkey, 500 pounds of stuffing, 350 pounds of vegetables, 10 gallons of cranberry sauce and a custom-made 500-pound pumpkin pie to more than 1,000 homeless Boston residents. Delaware North Sportservice director of food and beverage Kevin Doherty, Executive Chef Yousef Ghalaini and their culinary team created the pie onsite at TD Garden over the course of several days.
Local band Vinyl Groove provided entertainment as guests enjoyed the food and camaraderie of the event. Volunteers handed out personal care items to attendees, and additional items were donated to Friends of Boston’s Homeless and placed in shelters. A $5,000 cash donation will be made to the Housing Start-up Fund, which provides individuals with assistance with homebuying and household essentials.
Since its beginning, Garden Neighborhood Charities has served more than 15,000 hot meals, donated more than $75,000 and helped hundreds of area homeless move beyond shelter into permanent housing through its support of Friends of Boston’s and City of Boston’s Housing First initiative.
Wheeling Island donates hundreds of turkeys
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack is continuing its tradition of helping to feed local families during the holiday season with its annual “Turkey Day of Giving.”
A total of 323 frozen turkeys were donated to seven local groups last week, including the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in Wheeling, the Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling, Wheeling Health Right, the Wheeling YWCA and the United Way. The Wheeling fire and police departments also received turkeys as a “thank you” to first responders.
Another 600 turkeys were presented to Wheeling Island associates, some of whom opted to donate their turkeys and add to the number being contributed to charitable organizations.
“As a company, for us it’s about helping those less fortunate,” said Kim Florence, regional president and general manager of Wheeling Island. “These organizations do tremendous work, and we enjoy being able to help them in their success.”
Wheeling Island is planning to do a similar giveaway with hams prior to Christmas, in addition to a toy drive for the Salvation Army.
Progressive Field hosts charity Thanksgiving meal
The Delaware North Sportservice team at Progressive Field, along with the Cleveland Indians, hosted its annual Thanksgiving Meal in the Terrace Club this past weekend.
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan assisted associates as they served meals to 400 visitors from local groups such as Our Lady of the Wayside, Shoes and Clothes for Kids, Boys and Girls Clubs, Ohio Guidestone, The City Mission and Koinonia Homes on Sunday, November 24.
In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving Meal, families enjoyed Christmas carols sung by a youth band from the Boys and Girls Club, and the Cleveland Indians partnered with a nearby U.S. Marines regiment to give out toys to children who attended the event as part of their ongoing Toys for Tots program.
“What’s really great about it is how much the Indians really care about the community, and today is an example to express that,” President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland Ron Soeder said. “Their staff is committed. They’re here, they’re enjoying themselves, they bring their families out and they make us feel like a family. And they do that year-round.”
Stella 34 hosts record-breaking green bean casserole for New Yorkers in need
Stella 34, operated by Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group and located at Macy’s flagship Herald Square location, was recently the setting for a record-breaking event – the unveiling of the world’s largest green bean casserole.
The event was hosted at Macy’s in anticipation of the Green Giant float’s annual appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Weighing in at 1,009 lbs., the casserole was certified by Guinness as the world’s largest.
Following the ceremony, the casserole was donated to Citymeals on Wheels. It will feed more than 3,000 elderly and homebound New Yorkers this Thanksgiving.
LAX team provides Thanksgiving dinner to community and military members
The hectic holiday travel schedule didn’t deter Delaware North’s Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) team from finding time to serve Thanksgiving dinner to three different groups.
In collaboration with community outreach center A Place Called Home and the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, the LAX crew served a complete Thanksgiving meal to more than 1,100 members from LA’s South Central community last Wednesday.
On Thanksgiving day, the team delivered dinners to the United Service Organizations (USO) at LAX for military members and their families passing through the airport as part of Delaware North’s ongoing support of the non-profit group. They also delivered and served meals to more than 50 members of the U.S. Coast Guard at the Port of Long Beach, located just south of the airport.
KeyBank Center feeds the needy in Buffalo
On Thanksgiving Day, Delaware North Sportservice management at KeyBank Center in Buffalo spent time giving back to the needy in the community. Alongside the Buffalo Sabres and Pegula Sports & Entertainment, Delaware North associates volunteered at the second annual Feed the Needy event at The Draft Room, a restaurant and bar across from the arena.
In addition to volunteering their time, the Delaware North Sportservice team also donated more than 50 turkeys, which helped feed the more than 200 people in attendance. Attendees were served a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal, received a gift bag with warm winter items, and even given haircuts by a local barbershop.