April 22, 2024
ATLANTIC CITY — CHORUS, Diverse Voices in Harmony, the Business Impact Group for African Americans and their Allies at Caesars Entertainment, donated thousands of dollars in school supplies to New York Avenue School on Monday, April 22, 2024.
Keith Purnell, Director of Guest Experience at Caesars and CHORUS Chairman of the Board, Phil Terry, Casino Operations Shift Manager at Caesars and CHORUS Vice Chairman and Ahmed Halim, Hotel Operations Manager at Harrah’s, who is the CHORUS 2nd Vice Chair came to the school to personally deliver the supplies. All three men started with entry level positions in the company and through the years have worked their way up to management. They came to the New York Avenue School to let students know that they can do the same thing and have great lives.
“We want to impact the community that we’re in,”’ said Purnell. “I want the students to see that people like me can grow and get into senior leadership.”
CHORUS placed school supply collection boxes in the cafeteria of all three local Caesars’ properties: Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City and Tropicana Atlantic City. A table in the New York Avenue School cafeteria was filled and overflowing with bookbags, notebooks, hand sanitizer, wipes, pens and pencils.
“These are donations from Caesars Entertainment employees,” said Halim.
Terry said the local chapter of CHORUS has also done other events aimed at impacting the community, including health screenings and a Black History film festival where four movies were shown: Harriet, Selma, Hidden Figures and The Jackie Robinson Story.
“At each event, we had a story board,” Terry said. They also prepared a booklet on the life of Jackie Robinson.
That is the kind of educational commitment that CHORUS has, not just to the schools, but to the community at-large.
"CHORUS is the Business Impact Group (BIG) for Caesars Entertainment team members of Black/African American descent and allies,” said Terry, reading from the organization’s mission statement. “Our mission is to establish a community of professionals that are dedicated to building and fostering relationships through professional development, philanthropic involvement and social opportunities."
Halim said he wants students to see Caesars as more than a potential job, but also as a viable career option in the future.
“We need these young people to come and be team members,” Halim said. “There are good things inside our area. We’re right here in their backyard.”
New York Avenue School Principal Kendall Williams said, he welcomed CHORUS to partner with New York Avenue School because he knows of the organization's work firsthand.
Before Williams became a principal, he also worked for Caesars Entertainment.
“I saw KP (Kendall Purnell) work himself up in the organization, and the casino industry is an intricate part of the city,” said Williams. Williams started at Caesars when he was 19 years old and Caesars paid for much of his education.
“I spent half my life at Caesars,” Williams said. “So, this is even more special.”
Purnell said Caesars plans to sponsor New York Avenue School and continue the school supply drive annually because it’s important to the community.
“Representation matters,” Purnell said.
