HARRAH’S RESORT AWARDS $100,000 TO NONPROFITS

Dozen recipients are from S.D., Riverside and Orange counties

Harrah’s Resort Southern California awarded $100,000 in grants to a dozen nonprofits in San Diego County along with Riverside and Orange counties at its sixth annual “All-in 4 Change” luncheon.

The first-place grant of $40,000 was awarded to Transfamily Support Services; the second-place grant of $20,000 went to Helen Woodward Animal Center; the third-place grant of $10,000 went to Support the Enlisted Project; $5,000 went to fourth-place awardee Urban Corps of San Diego and $4,000 went to fifth-place Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center. Honorable mention grants of $3,000 each went to Solutions for Change, San Diego Oasis, Operation Homefront, Friends of Water Observation Garden, The Elizabeth Hospice, Armed Services YMCA and Jacobs House Inc.

Nonprofits submitted applications in July and were notified in early August whether they made it to the next part of the competition. Community members were asked to vote for their favorite nonprofits among the finalists, and when the polls closed on Aug. 30, votes were tallied and counted as 50 percent of the overall score to win a grant. The other 50 percent of the score was determined by a committee at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, based in Valley Center.

Since opening in 2002, Harrah’s Resort Southern California, which is owned by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Mission Indians, has donated more than $4 million in cash and in-kind gifts to community and charitable groups.

“When we can positively impact the lives of others and give back to help our neighbors, we are contributing to the greater good. That is of greatest importance to me and my people,” said Bo Mazzetti, chairman of the Rincon Tribe.