Hollywood Casino gifts $46,000 to Bangor Area Homeless Shelter

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - The Hollywood Casino presented the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter with a check worth $46,000.

“It feels fantastic. This has been more than a year in the making. We decided a couple of years ago after COVID to start raising money for great charities around here through our parking fees for big concert nights. We didn’t have a full season last year, we only had four concerts, but this year, it’s been a heck of a concert season and we are thrilled with the amount of money that we were able to raise,” said Austin Muchemore, general manager of the Hollywood Casino.

“They have a need. There’s a big need in this area and we figured that this was a good fit,” said Daun Saunders, director of security.

The money is coming to the shelter at a critical time.

“We’re gearing up into winter. We just reopened our day program that’s been closed since COVID. Inflation has hit us pretty hard. So, we’ve had increasing rates and you know a donation this size at this time unexpected it was really will help meet some needs,” said Boyd Kronholm, executive director of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter.

And they couldn’t believe how much as coming their way.

“We sell parking spots too. We make about $200 a concert. So, when they were doing it we figured out to be a couple thousand. So when Hollywood Casino let us know what it was, it was quite a big relief and surprise and shock,” Kronholm added.

The money will go towards funding the day-to-day operations at the shelter.

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