Empire City Casino celebrates one of its own, Justin Grasso, who MGM Resorts honored with their prestigious Volunteer Service Award. Grasso’s dedication to volunteerism, particularly his advocacy for blood donation, earned him this distinguished recognition.

MGM Resorts places great emphasis on volunteerism as an essential component of its corporate culture. Their employees together have contributed over 1 million volunteer hours to various local nonprofit organizations. Empire City Casino itself plays an integral role in facilitating blood donation efforts by hosting regular blood drives. Creative Manager Justin Grasso has consistently been a key participant in these blood drives at Empire City.

He achieved membership in the esteemed “Gallon Club” in 2022. The New York Blood Center established this in 1990 to honor donors who have given over a gallon of blood. Beyond this, Grasso also set his sights on donating platelets, the delicate blood cells crucial for normal blood clotting.

As a recipient of the Volunteer Service Award, Justin Grasso receives a $2,500 donation to the nonprofit of his choice. Despite his commitment to blood donation, Grasso has chosen to direct these funds to The Alzheimer’s Association. His decision is deeply personal, as his grandparents both suffered the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease–a progressive ailment that erodes memory and cognitive functions. This generous donation will aid The Alzheimer’s Association in their mission to advance global research, reduce risk and enable early detection.

I am so thankful to MGM Resorts for not only this honor, but for providing me with both the financial and volunteering opportunities to support causes that mean so much to me.

Justin Grasso