MGM Workers Give $4.6M to Charities in Their Hometowns

Casino workers across America are proving that small contributions can create massive change when people come together for their neighbors.

Employees at MGM Resorts International recently donated their own money to raise over $4.6 million for local charities through the MGM Resorts Foundation. The company distributed grants to 211 nonprofits located in communities where its casinos operate, from Las Vegas to Detroit to Atlantic City.

What makes this special is that workers, not executives, are driving the giving. MGM's 62,000 employees contribute directly from their paychecks to fund programs they believe will help their neighbors most.

"Our employees are invested in this work in every sense," said Maria Jose Gatti, MGM's vice president of philanthropy. "They contribute their own dollars, understand the needs in their communities, and help ensure those dollars reach organizations making a real difference."

The foundation caps grants at $80,000 in Southern Nevada and $15,000 in other regions, spreading the impact widely. Organizations focused on affordable housing, homelessness, family services, health and wellness, and support for veterans received priority funding.

Among the biggest winners this year is Shoes That Fit, which received grants in five cities. The nonprofit provides brand new athletic shoes to children whose families are struggling financially, something that can boost school attendance, self-esteem, and behavior when kids no longer feel embarrassed about their worn-out footwear.

Gamers Outreach also received funding in six regions. The organization brings video games to hospitalized children, restoring moments of joy and normalcy during some of the hardest days of their young lives.

The Ripple Effect

Since 2002, the MGM Resorts Foundation has made it simple for employees to give back through workplace contributions. The company covers all administrative costs, meaning every single dollar workers donate goes directly to helping people.

That structure has created a giving culture where employees at every level, from card dealers to housekeepers to managers, can see their money making real changes on the streets where they live. When your coworker helps fund new shoes for a kid at your neighborhood school or games for children at your local hospital, philanthropy stops feeling distant and starts feeling personal.

The foundation opens applications each year to nonprofits near MGM properties across Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. This year's grants will touch thousands of lives through programs the workers themselves chose to support.

Everyday people stepping up for their communities with their own hard-earned money reminds us that generosity isn't about wealth—it's about heart.