Community Tadbitz: Long-term Community Lunch Box Community Champion

Every year the Community Lunch Box Program hosts a Celebration Night in recognition of our volunteers and the programs continuing success. This year the Dueling Pianos are back Saturday March 4th for another round of rambunctious entertainment, a night that would not be possible without the sponsorships of many community partners.

Eagle River Casino & Travel Plaza is one of those ‘Community Champions’. The sponsorship that Eagle River Casino provides to the Community Lunch Box is an impactful one. The dinner sponsorship is the single biggest donation the Lunch Box receives every year. The sponsorship offsets the costs associated with hosting the Celebration Night, which is the Community Lunch Box’s biggest fundraiser.

Eris Moncur, vice president and general manager of Eagle River Casino & Travel Plaza says, “There are several individuals and organizations that we support every year. Our relationship with the Community Lunch Box is a unique one. The Community Lunch Box is one of the organizations that are near and dear to our heart because as a company, it fits in with our values. The Community Lunch Box is about inclusivity and it's about providing and ensuring the basics for children, primarily through the lunch program. It’s also a place of gainful employment and empowerment. For us, we feel there should be more of all those things. The more we can help the Community Lunch Box to realize its mission, the better it is for all of us in this community.”

The Casino’s positive partnership with the Community Lunch Box ensures the program’s longevity and future sustainability. This translates into 45,000 apples per year, 13,000 lunches and 30,000 breakfasts made throughout all six community schools. This has positively impacted 2700 students and has removed the stigma of not having a lunch and asking for help, which is so instrumental in making sure the students learn on a full stomach.

The Lunch Box Program gainfully employs adults with learning and employment barriers and is supported by 120 volunteers who are proactive in their support and enjoy being part of an inclusive initiative that has made a tremendous impact on our community.

The Community Lunch Box is unequivocally thankful for the kindness and generosity that the Eagle River Casino & Travel Plaza continuously shows the Program.

Eris Moncur, vice president and general manager of Eagle River Casino and Travel Plaza, is a long-time supporter of the Community Lunch Box