TURKEY DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED FOR DINNER PREPARATIONS

Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, which provides Venue Management and Food Services & Hospitality to Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center, is once again giving back to the Atlantic City community this Thanksgiving holiday. Executive Chef George Fisher and his staff will prepare Thanksgiving dinner to serve to local community members in need including nearly 1,000 homeless at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission as well as 500 others at the Salvation Army located on Texas Avenue.

For the past three years, Spectra’s George Fisher has led the charge preparing Thanksgiving dinner for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission while Spectra’s Michael D’Angelo, Pastry Chef of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, has organized Thanksgiving dinner for the local Salvation Army. This year they are teaming up to do the cooking for both organizations in the kitchen at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Led by Chef George, additional volunteers including chefs from the local casinos and members of the Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey will be assisting with the dinner preparations.

In addition to the Thanksgiving Day meal for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army, Spectra Food Services & Hospitality at the Atlantic City Convention Center will be making Thanksgiving side dishes and donating turkeys to Grace Beyond our Doors Food Pantry at the Church of the Nazarene in Northfield. This is being spearheaded by Spectra’s Ruben Marrero, Food Services & Hospitality Supervisor of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, and will feed 120 people.

The cooking begins on Monday, November 21 and will run through Wednesday, November 23. The team will prepare oven roasted turkey with giblet gravy,  Virginia baked ham, shoepeg corn, fresh made cranberry relish, and dessert rolls at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The candied sweet potatoes and whipped mashed potatoes will be prepared at the Golden Nugget.  The meal will be served on Thanksgiving Day from noon through 6 p.m. at the Rescue Mission and at 4 p.m. at the Salvation Army. All food has been donated by local casinos, food vendors, and Spectra Food Services & Hospitality.

Those looking to support this initiative can visit the “AC Chefs on a Mission” Facebook page that has been created to help promote the event and to generate awareness for donations and volunteers. Contributions can be made to the Atlantic City Rescue Mission online at www.ACRescueMission.org and food donations can be made to the Mission at 2009 Bacharach Blvd. in Atlantic City.

“This is my third year involved with the Atlantic City Rescue Mission,” said Spectra’s George Fisher, Executive Chef of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall. “We are excited to be able to help those at the Salvation Army and Grace Beyond Our Doors this Thanksgiving holiday as well as the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. Consolidating our efforts will allow us to feed more than 1,500 people between the three locations. All food donations are welcome as the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army feed people all year long.”

Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the CRDA.

About Spectra

Spectra by Comcast Spectacor is the expert in hosting and entertainment, partnering with over 300 clients at 400 global properties to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s expertise is embodied within three divisions: Venue Management (formerly Global Spectrum), Food Services & Hospitality (formerly Ovations Food Services) and Ticketing & Fan Engagement (formerly Paciolan). Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com.

About Comcast Spectacor

Comcast Spectacor is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that operates Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., Comcast Spectacor’s three core businesses are the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center venue, and Spectra, the expert in hosting and entertainment through its Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Ticketing & Fan Engagement divisions. Visit us at ComcastSpectacor.com for more information.

About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) www.njcrda.com and www.twitter.com/njcrda

The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents.  Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, CRDA’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City, resulting in nearly $1 billion in economic development and non-gaming attractions.  In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide since 1984.  CRDA responsibilities include land use regulation, clean and safe initiatives, tourism marketing, and ownership and oversight of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall.

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