Rick Mazer (left), general manager, Harrah’s Horseshoe Casino Hammond, presents Alzheimer’s Association president and CEO Harry Johns with the Harrah’s Foundation’s $1 million World Alzheimer’s Day matching grant.

Harrah's Foundation donates $1 million to the Alzheimer's Association

As part of its ongoing support of the Alzheimer's Association, the Harrah's Foundation presented the Association with $1 million for its World Alzheimer's Day 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.

Rick Mazer, general manager of Harrah’s Horseshoe Casino Hammond, presented the check to Alzheimer's Association president and CEO Harry Johns at the Harrah's Horseshoe Casino Hammond in Hammond, Ind.

"This past year, the Harrah's Foundation has supported the Alzheimer's Association's efforts to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and to raise money to fund critical programs, services and research," Johns said. "There are as many as 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's today, and that number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050 if we don’t act to stop it. The Alzheimer's Association appreciates the financial commitment of the Harrah's Foundation and the dedication of Harrah's employees, who support the Alzheimer's Association's vision of a world without Alzheimer's disease."

In November, Harrah's Entertainment was named the most generous corporate donor by BusinessWeek Magazine, ranking number one among S&P 500 companies based on percentage of pre-tax profits contributed to nonprofit organizations in 2006. In that year alone, Harrah's and its foundation distributed $76.8 million, or nearly $1.5 million a week, to nonprofits nationwide.