As part of its philanthropic efforts, Horseshoe Hammond presented Ivy Tech’s East Chicago campus with a donation of $25,000 recently in support of the college’s updated café project.
“The renovation of the café at our East Chicago location would not have been possible without the financial support of our community partners,” Louie Gonzalez, chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Lake County campus, said. “This donation by Horseshoe Casino helped us put the finishing touches on the upgrades to this space. Many of our students are busy attending classes and holding down a job, so that doesn’t leave much time for going somewhere to eat. No one functions well when hungry. This café will give them healthy, reasonably priced meal options. We are grateful to the Horseshoe for partnering with us to feed our students both in body and mind.”
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to show our support for Ivy Tech’s culinary program,” said Kathryn Jenkins, Horseshoe Hammond Senior Vice President and General Manager. “This donation will help ensure that we continue to cultivate top notch talent here in Northwest Indiana, and former students of Ivy Tech have played a role in Horseshoe Casino being ranked #1 by The Times “Best of the Region 2021” for the Best Casino Dining award.”
The Hammond gaming destination has had a long-standing relationship with Ivy Tech spanning over a decade. Giving back to the local community and to the students in the area has always been a priority for the casino. Ivy Tech has a robust Hospitality Administration program, making the decision to contribute to the school an easy one.
The financial contribution from Horseshoe Casino was instrumental in giving the café new flooring, wall murals, window treatments, a podium, an added soffit to improve sound, as well as new furniture and technical details.
Ivy Tech is the largest public postsecondary institution in Indiana with more than 40 locations.
