FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK YANKEES ALL-STAR MARIANO RIVERA HOSTS

THANKSGIVING FEAST

FOR 42 YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES

Dinner at 42 Clubhouse Grill kicks off “Buy a Meal, Give a Meal” initiative to provide meals

to New Rochelle’s neediest residents throughout the holiday season

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 22, 2011 – Legendary New York Yankees pitcher

Mariano Rivera today hosted 42 children, teens and their families from HOPE Community

Services for a Thanksgiving dinner at the restaurant bearing his uniform number – 42 Clubhouse

Grill. The dinner was provided by the Mariano Rivera Foundation for underserved youth and

family members at his restaurant located at 14 Memorial Highway in New Rochelle, NY.

The Thanksgiving feast served as the kick-off event for a season of giving by the Mariano Rivera

Foundation and 42 Clubhouse Grill. From now through the end of the year, the Mariano Rivera

Foundation will donate $4.20 from every dinner bill at the New Rochelle restaurant to the HOPE

Community Services soup kitchen.

“New Rochelle became my home when I joined the Yankees 17 years ago,” said Rivera, co-

owner of 42 Clubhouse Grill. “The community essentially adopted me back then, and to repay

them for that warm welcome and because I feel so close to this community, it feels great to be

able to help the young people of New Rochelle.”

42 Clubhouse Grill patrons will also have an opportunity to pitch in through the restaurant’s

“Buy a Meal, Give a Meal” initiative. Each meal provided by the soup kitchen at HOPE

Community Services costs just under $4.20. Patrons who match the donation from the Mariano

Rivera Foundation with their own contribution of $4.20 will receive a 10 percent discount on

their next dining tab at 42 Clubhouse Grill.

Rivera began his major league career with the Yankees in 1995 and is regarded as the most

dominant relief pitcher in baseball history. The 12-time All-Star and five-time World Series

champion has confounded batters with his legendary cut fast ball on the way to becoming

baseball’s greatest postseason pitcher. In 2011, he set the Major League Baseball record for

career saves and finished the season having tallied 603 regular-season saves.

Rivera is well-known for his charitable endeavors on behalf of children and families through the

Mariano Rivera Foundation, which addresses children’s needs through programs that focus on

education, health and wellness in his adopted community of New Rochelle and his native

Panama.

The HOPE Community Services children and their families were treated to a memorable

Thanksgiving feast with Rivera. Just before the dinner, Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports

provided each of Rivera’s guests a gift bag that contained a key chain with authentic Yankee

Stadium dirt; a miniature Yankee Stadium plaque; and a photo of Rivera.

Carlos Ortiz, 15, later presented Rivera with a HOPE Community Services t-shirt on behalf of all

the youngsters from the non-profit organization.

HOPE Community Services is Westchester County's largest direct provider of emergency food

services, exclusively assisting New Rochelle residents and homeless. Its soup kitchen serves

about 200 meals per day during the holiday season, providing a take-home meal for every meal

served.

“We did close to 500,000 meals last year,” said Carole Troum, Executive Director of HOPE

Community Services. “Since then, the demand for services has increased by about 44 percent, so

this generous initiative through 42 Clubhouse Grill is well-timed and definitely needed.

Everyone here at HOPE Community Services is especially grateful to the Mariano Rivera

Foundation for this Thanksgiving dinner, and to the ownership of the 42 Clubhouse Grill for

taking up our cause, especially during the holiday season when the need is so great.”

The 42 Clubhouse Grill is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00

p.m. and 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. For more information about 42 Clubhouse Grill, please visit

www.clubhousegrillny.com. For more information about HOPE Community Services, please

visit www.hopecommunityservices.org.

About 42 Clubhouse Grill The Clubhouse Grill is located in the heart of the high energy New Rochelle revitalized business

district. Inspired by its predecessor, Mo’s New York Grill, it has been newly renovated and is the

go-to restaurant for fun and family. Favorite American standards, the more-than-subtle Italian

inspirations of Master Chef Vincent Suppa includes favorite American standards along with

numerous new appetizers, including prime steak, rack of lamb, several chicken dishes,

hamburgers, fresh fish daily, Vinnie’s famous thin-crusted pizza, "loose" lasagna and other pasta

specials.

Yankee legend Mariano Rivera’s presence is very much present at the Clubhouse Grill in

memorabilia, artifacts, and photos. The Clubhouse Grill offers a family, sporting atmosphere

including outside dining and the "Home Run" private dining room for those special events. For

more information about the 42 Clubhouse Grill, please visit www.clubhousegrillny.com.

About Hope Community Services HOPE Community Services, Inc., a not-for- profit agency, was founded in 1984 by Mary Lou

McNaney in response to the hunger she saw in New Rochelle. With the assistance and support of

a host of volunteers, HOPE opened the doors of its first soup kitchen in 1984. Since its early

days, HOPE has grown to become the largest emergency food pantry and soup kitchen in the

region. Although HOPE Community Services was founded to respond to hunger in the

community, it quickly became apparent that food was not the only thing clients were lacking.

Clothing, language skills, emotional support, immigration services, and other daily necessities

were also needed. HOPE Community Services expanded its services to meet the needs of its

diverse client population. For more information about Hope Community Services, please visit

www.hopecommunityservices.org.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Mark Bardack or Norreida Reyes

Ed Lewi Associates

6 Chelsea Place • Clifton Park, NY 12065

P: 518-383-6183 F: 518-383-6755

C: M. Bardack (518) 867-7943 or N. Reyes (518) 362-6430

E: mbardack@edlewi.com or nreyes@edlewi.com