In celebration of Giving Tuesday — the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving holiday, which is touted as a day devoted to generosity and philanthropy — Southland Casino Racing, in collaboration with its parent company, Delaware North, donated $600,000 to two Mid-South organizations.
Mid-South Food Bank will receive $325,000 toward its mobile food pantry, and the East Arkansas Family Health Center will receive $275,000 to fund the development of an OB-GYN program, the gaming center said.
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales saw some declines this year, as the Associated Press reports, 2021’s Giving Tuesday saw a record $2.7 billion in donations.
Presenting the donations at Southland on Tuesday were Lou Jacobs, Delaware North CEO; David Wolf, Southland Casino Racing president and general manager; and Johnekia Catron, Southland’s community engagement manager.
“Being a good neighbor is a key part of our mission at Delaware North and Southland Casino Racing,” Jacobs said. “We are grateful for partners like Mid-South Food Bank and East Arkansas Family Health Center for their work to address the critical needs of this community, and we hope these investments make a meaningful impact to advance that work.”
The organizations were identified through a community-needs assessment that revealed two significant areas of hardship: food insecurity and access to women’s healthcare. Crittenden County has a significant food insecurity rate, which is on the rise because of the ongoing pandemic. For women, the nearest OB-GYN without crossing into another state is 39 miles from the area.
“The Mid-South Food Bank is thankful for this partnership with Southland Casino Racing,” said Cathy Pope, Mid South Food Bank president and CEO. “This opportunity will help educate and connect families to other vital programs that support food and economic security.”
“The East Arkansas Family Health Center is elated to collaborate with Southland Casino Racing in providing OB-GYN services to the community at large,” said Dr. Susan Ward-Jones, CEO of the East Arkansas Family Health Center. “This funding will allow for a robust program that will improve health outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality.”
