Potawatomi Bingo Casino will reveal its 2012 “Miracle on Canal Street” fundraising total today along with 20 randomly selected nonprofit organizations that will receive a portion of the funds.
The annual “Miracle on Canal Street” campaign benefits organizations devoted to enhancing quality of life for children in southeastern Wisconsin. While the 19-year-old program has traditionally chosen grant recipients at the beginning of the campaign each August, this year Potawatomi decided to wait to select recipients until the day it was ready to announce the total amount of money raised.
“I think the big difference between this year and other years of ‘Miracle on Canal Street’ is this year we worked to create a little more excitement and anticipation by selecting charities on the backend,” said Ryan Amundson, the casino’s external communications manager.
While the casino designated 10 charity recipients chosen by its media partners at the start of the campaign, it will announce the 20 randomly selected charities today at a celebration in the casino’s Nest of Life Bingo Hall starting at 6 p.m. The event will include the announcement of the fundraising total and grant recipients as well as a performance by the “Miracle” choir.
“It’s going to be a celebration, and what better time of year to have a celebration than the holidays?” Amundson said.
About 150 nonprofit organizations applied to be considered for funding, Amundson said. Participating organizations could increase the number of entries they have in the random drawing by promoting the “Miracle” campaign through social media outlets and by bringing “Miracle” representatives into their organizations to speak about the program.
Funding was primarily generated by casino bingo players through special rounds of bingo from August through December as it has been in the past. This year’s “Miracle” program collected additional funds through the sale of special menu items at the casino’s six restaurants as well as through ticket sales for the daytime shows of the casino’s annual Elvis Tribute Contest coming up in January.
This year the casino also made a point to establish a stronger connection with the organizations its “Miracle” efforts benefit, Amundson said.
Members of the casino’s leadership team helped hand out 15 bicycles to kids at a giveaway program put on by the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective earlier this month. The nonprofit, chosen as a signature charity by the casino’s media partner onmilwaukee.com, used part of the “Miracle” funds to buy bicycles for kids in need. Kids who received bikes were selected through an essay and drawing competition organized by the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective.
“Going out and actually seeing what they’re doing and helping with what they’re doing – that’s made a real impact on those that are leading our organization,” Amundson said.
Potawatomi Bingo Casino is located at 1721 W. Canal Street in Milwaukee. For more information about the annual “Miracle on Canal Street” campaign and announcement, visit www.paysbig.com/miracle.
