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MGM Resorts donates $50K to Three Square food bank

MGM Resorts donates $50K to Three Square food bank
Posted at 5:04 PM, Jun 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-30 09:22:48-04

MGM Resorts International donated $50,000 to Three Square food bank to support BackPack for Kids, a children’s meal program.

The donation will ensure the program is available to the community throughout the summer.

During the school year, thousands of food-insecure children rely on BackPack for Kids as a source of nutrition after school hours. Participants are given food to enjoy away from school. It is usually put in their backpacks so that they can take it home overnight and over the weekend.

The program usually ends due to lack of funding in the summer. However, June, July and August are critical months for hungry children who lose their source of regular meals during the school break. MGM Resorts’ donation will ensure the program operates until the new school year begins.

During the school year, BackPack for Kids program provides 5,500 hungry children with supplemental weekend meals each week.

In previous years, MGM Resorts supported Three Square by providing a food drive donation in November. According to MarketWatch, however, half of food bank donations come in during the holiday season, even though the need for food donations is greater during the summer. Summer is the hardest time to collect donations and find volunteers, as church groups, schools and many food drives often go on hiatus during the summer months.

Participants in the backpack program are children who are enrolled in Three Square’s summer food program. They receive an allotment of food from participating organizations, such as Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada. Items are nonperishable and easy to open, including canned ravioli with pop tops, granola bars, fruit cups and other nutritious foods.

In addition to its corporate giving program, MGM Resorts supports Three Square’s efforts year round through The MGM Resorts Foundation and its employee volunteer program. Since Three Square’s inception, MGM Resorts employees have performed more than 20,000 hours of volunteer work. In 2010, the MGM Resorts Volunteer Room at Three Square was created in recognition of the company’s continuous support.

WATCH NO SUMMER FOR HUNGER BELOW.