In 2002, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc, the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment, and the Harrah’s Foundation formed a strategic alliance with the Alzheimer's Association by funding a 5-year, $3 million grant. The alliance’s main goals are to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, promote brain health and increase capabilities of local chapters to deliver resources to local communities through Harrah’s Leadership Grants and participation in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®.
To date, Harrah’s support has enabled the rebranding and reprinting of several of our key consumer education publications, such as Caregiver Stress and Maintain Your Brain®. In 2005 through 2006, Harrah’s Leadership Grants made it possible for Association chapters to run paid advertising and public awareness campaigns that promoted either our Helpline “Make the First Call” campaign or the Maintain Your Brain program. As a result, nearly 3,000 ads were placed in seven markets across the country yielding almost 28 million impressions.
The success of “Make the First Call” was so great, the Association featured it as our key message for National Alzheimer’s Awareness Disease Month. In 2007, Harrah’s will encourage chapters to use the Leadership Grant funds to support Memory Walk related promotions, marketing and/or program development.
Harrah’s Entertainment operates under the guidance of the Code of Commitment, a public pledge to employees, guests and communities to honor their trust by being a responsible corporate citizen. As part of this pledge, Harrah’s donations a percentage of profits to civic and charitable causes. Last year, Harrah’s and The Harrah’s Foundation distributed $76.8 million in community contributions.
A dedicated champion of senior causes, Harrah’s will continue to define its leadership role to create a world without Alzheimer’s by positioning itself as the leader sponsor of World Alzheimer’s Day, and by encouraging its employees nationwide to form teams and raise funds for Memory Walk. It is our honor to name them as this year’s corporate honoree.
Awareness-building projects
2007Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®
Memory Walkers had a new and exciting motivator for the 2007 walk season: the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas, thanks to the Harrah's Foundation. Harrah's Raise to Win incentive program gave every Memory Walk participant who raised $500 an opportunity to win one of two luxury vacation packages from Harrah's.
World Alzheimer's Day $1 Million Dollar Match
The Harrah's Foundation was the primary sponsor of World Alzheimer's Day (Sept. 21), offering a $1 million matching grant to assist in raising awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer's disease. The Association's World Alzheimer's Day efforts raised $1.8 million, with the Harrah's Foundation's generous donation bringing the total to $2.8 million.
2006
Consumer education
Harrah’s Foundation sponsored the rebranding and reprinting of several of our key consumer education publications, such as Caregiver Stress and Maintain Your Brain®. Harrah’s Foundation also funded print and radio ads that promoted local chapter Helplines. The ads were such a huge success that we used them in a national public education campaign for National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in November 2006.
Established in 2002, The Harrah’s Foundation is a private, 501(c)(3) foundation created to provide financial support to qualified organizations in communities where Harrah’s employees live and work. The Harrah’s Foundation supports social reinvestment initiatives by funding eligible 502 (c)(3) organizations dedicated to seniors, education and civic programs. Since its formation, it has committed more than $16 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. In 2006 alone, Harrah’s Entertainment and The Harrah’s Foundation distributed, on average, nearly $1.5 million per week to philanthropic organizations.
