Rivers Gives Launches

The first month of a new decade starts with "Rivers Gives." Rivers Casino Pittsburgh is giving a new name to its longstanding community outreach program.

Rivers Gives (formerly Community Champions) debuted this morning during a volunteer service day at A Giving Heart—an after-school community center on Climax Street in the Allentown section of Pittsburgh. Rivers Casino Team Members painted the locker rooms adjacent to A Giving Heart’s gymnasium. This is Rivers’ fourth renovation project at A Giving Heart to date.

State Representative Jake Wheatley, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Director of Community Relations Rahmon Hart, A Giving Heart President and CEO Kristee Cammack, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Team Members, and approximately 40 children in the after-school program were on hand.

Rivers Gives

Led by the casino’s Director of Community Relations Rahmon Hart, Rivers Gives is a volunteer program available to Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Team Members to promote and encourage community service. Volunteers donate more than 2,000 staff hours annually around town to paint shelters, clean up the riverfront, beautify park grounds and more. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh prides itself on integrating seamlessly with its communities and being a proud partner in enhancing the quality of life in Pittsburgh.

On a monthly basis, the casino also features a local nonprofit on its gaming floor at the "Rivers Gives Wall" near the parking garage elevators. Guests can drop their vouchers in the contribution box which is then donated to the monthly community partner. Furthermore, each month there are two select dates during which guests who donate $10 cash to the chosen nonprofit will receive $10 Free Slot Play or Match Play—this month it was Jan. 2 and Jan. 4. A Giving Heart will receive a total of $5,000 through its participation in the Rivers Gives program in January.

A Giving Heart

A Giving Heart is a nonprofit organization that provides after-school programming and nutritious meals to elementary and middle school children in the Allentown section of Pittsburgh and surrounding Hilltop neighborhoods. With a recently renovated building, A Giving Heart now provides homework help and outdoor recreation activities, daily open gym programs during the summer, and a summer meal program that serves neighborhood children.

"People thought I was crazy when I bought this building, but I knew it had potential. I never could have dreamed that it would turn out to be as amazing and rewarding as it is today—and we credit Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Team Members for helping us achieve that," said Kristee Cammack, president and CEO of A Giving Heart.

"We’re very excited to be launching Rivers Gives at A Giving Heart this month," said Rahmon Hart, director of community relations at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. "We love helping the kids—in prior years, we’ve helped replace the wooden basketball court, painted the multipurpose room, and now we’re refreshing the locker rooms. Our hope is to inspire others to lend a helping hand."

The Last 10 Years: Giving is a Rivers Tradition

Since opening in 2009, Rivers has also contributed $5 million to various Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania nonprofits, benefiting more than 100 local charities annually. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh also has contributed $3 million to the Northside Leadership Conference and $3 million to the Greater Hill District Development Growth Fund. Additionally, Rivers has contributed $78.5 million to fund construction expenses for PPG Paints Arena to date and will continue to pay $7.5 million annually through 2038.

"Rivers is open 24/7," added Hart, "and our commitment to the community is 24/7 too."