Competing for customers is the name of the game for Atlantic City’s casinos.
But many of them teamed up on Wednesday to donate food and supplies to people struggling to make ends meet.
On Thanksgiving-eve, Kyle Francis put his skilled hands to work, saying, “It’s all about giving back.”
The professional chef is helping to feed the hungry a couple weeks after he was laid off from his own job.
“It’s tough for everybody, you know. I’m just lucky to have that support system that not a lot of people do have,” Francis said.
He’s part of a volunteer culinary team from across the region that spent hours preparing a full Thanksgiving feast for hundreds at the Salvation Army in Atlantic City.
The labor of love is marking it’s 15th year. “A lot of casinos help us out a whole lot…Tropicana, Bally’s, Resort’s, Atlantic Cape Community College,” volunteer chef Michael D’Angelo said.
“Last year, we served over 300 meals, and we expect to do that, and even more this year, based on the need in the community,” Lesley Colon with the Salvation Army Atlantic City said.
According to an annual count, the total homeless population in Atlantic County this year was more than double the number recorded in 2021. Statewide figures also climbed from last year.
“The cost of housing keeps going up. And a single individual has to be a paid professional to make it on their own,” homeless advocate, Steven Brigham, said.
In the past few weeks, there’s been an uptick in the number of people reaching out to the Salvation Army for help. Many have said they’re still waiting for their SNAP benefits to return.
“They have no food in their cupboards, and they just need something,” Colon said.
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