Franchises Can Change the World, Too

In an era where social responsibility can make or break your business, it’s what you don’t do that can cost you. Now, more than ever, consumers crave an organization with heart, and they want to have the opportunity to participate—and make a difference—by using their product. According to a consumer study conducted by Elite Daily, a whopping 75 percent of people said that it’s important that a company gives back to society instead of just making a profit.

There’s a strong connection between entrepreneurship and giving. These days, when companies and causes successfully collaborate on a strategic, mutually beneficial commercial effort (something that’s often referred to as cause marketing), they can make a difference in tackling a societal problem while generating loyalty and patronage from consumers, employees, investors and opinion leaders alike.

Today, with more than 1.5 million charities throughout the U.S., more and more franchise businesses are discovering their perfect philanthropic match and mobilizing their franchisees to make a difference in the communities they serve. Here are a handful of franchises poised to make a meaningful impact on the world.

Toppers Pizza* – Feeding America

Since 2011, Toppers Pizza has partnered with Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic-relief charity, to combine their strong love of pizza with their strong love of people. The brand makes the nation’s hunger epidemic a focal point of their daily operations, from developing Topperstix eating contests and creating special menu promotions, to volunteering their own personal time at local food banks. Over the past four years, the brand has collectively raised a total of $250,000 for Feeding America—the equivalent of more than two million meals. And to further aid in hunger relief, Toppers Founder and CEO Scott Gittrich has personally matched 50 cents for every dollar the company has raised since their partnership first began.

“Through our four-year partnership with Feeding America, we’ve been able to connect with the community and make a true difference for a cause we feel passionately about,” Gittrich said. “Toppers has always upheld a core value of giving back to the communities in which we live and work, and it’s been an honor to work as a team to help others.”

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK* – Movers Who Care Campaigns

Since 2009, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations across the country have donated more than 130,000 hours of service to their communities. In 2015 alone, franchises donated $2,840,214 worth of moving services. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK holds a long tradition of giving back to communities in which employees live and work, and philanthropy has long been a vital part of this brand’s system—after all, their company’s motto is “Movers Who Care.” Movers for Moms, Movers for Military, Movers for Meals, Movers for Mutts and Truckload of Warmth are just a handful of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s charities, and they all involve working alongside local communities to brighten the lives of those in need.

Lenny’s Subs – No Kid Hungry

Every year, thousands of restaurants across the country come together to raise money and awareness for No Kid Hungry, a campaign aimed at combating childhood hunger in the U.S. One in five American children struggles with hunger every day, but with the help of No Kid Hungry, more than $528 million has been raised for the cause through corporate sponsorships, events and donations. In 2015, Lenny’s Subs, a better-tasting sandwich franchise with more than 100 locations, raised $30,196 system-wide during September and October, equating to 300,000 meals for children in need. During their two-month campaign, Lenny’s locations asked patrons to donate $1 each time they visited.

“We were thrilled by the outpouring of support from the restaurant industry in helping our cause and honored to have such an outstanding brand like Lenny’s, who cares about giving back to their community, helping out,” said Diana Hovey, managing director of Dine Out for No Kid Hungry, the platform that unites restaurants to end childhood hunger.

Sport Clips* – St. Baldrick’s

In 2016, Sport Clips proudly signed on as St. Baldricks’ first National Partner, committing to give more than $1 million in support for childhood cancer research over the next three years. As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation believes that kids are special—and they deserve to be treated that way. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to innovative explorers who bring with the promise for a future free from childhood cancers.

Which Wich – PB&J Project

Which Wich is fighting hunger with peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. Last year, thanks to Project PB&J, Which Wich fed 100,000 people in need in a single day by making and donating these beloved sandwiches to local organizations across the country. Every National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2), local Which Wich shops across the country gives customers the chance to purchase a $3 PB&J to give to charity. Which Wich franchises will not only match this gesture—they’ll double it. For each sandwich sold, two are donated back to those in need. Last year, each franchise vowed to donate at least 100 PB&Js.

“All of our franchisees share a passion for giving back to their local communities,” said Jeff Sinelli, founder and CEO of Which Wich. “I always believed that a simple peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich can change the world, and we hope we’ve made a significant impact on our communities by feeding 100,000 on a single day.”

Dairy Queen* – Children’s Miracle Network

Since 1984, DQ and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals have partnered to provide life-saving treatments to kids across the U.S. and Canada. To date, more than $115 million has been raised through donations from Dairy Queen franchisees, fans and the corporate office, all of which stays local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care.

For 10 years, Dairy Queen has also celebrated Miracle Treat Day. Last year, on July 30^th, for every Blizzard Treat sold, $1 was donated back to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital by local participating Dairy Queen stores. The brand’s strong network of stores sold over 3.2 million Blizzards, raising nearly $9 million for young patients treated by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in communities across North America.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes* – No Kid Hungry

After a system-wide partnership with No Kid Hungry in 2015, MOOYAH raised more than $45,000 to help battle childhood hunger, beating last year’s total donation. The brand gave 1 percent of nationwide sales at participating locations to the campaign during the month of September. And, during its “Bring Home the Bacon Week,” from September 21 to 27, the brand’s bacon supplier, Smithfield Foods, donated $5,000 to the cause on behalf of MOOYAH guests.

Every September, thousands of restaurants across the country raise money and awareness for No Kid Hungry, prompting millions of customers to donate to the charity at the point of sale in stores, via online and social-media sites, or by participating in local fundraising and cause-marketing events.

Workout Anytime – Lift for the 22

On Nov. 11, 2015, Workout Anytime launched its partnership with Lift for the 22 to give free one-year gym memberships to 22 local veterans. All 85 locations of Workout Anytime across the country participated in the event.

Lift for the 22 is a transitional support organization for veterans who can network across the fitness industry. By helping beneficiaries obtain a gym membership, Lift for the 22 allows them to maintain a healthy fitness oriented lifestyle while bringing awareness to, and the prevalence of, veteran suicides. Life for the 22 aims to promote veteran support networks in the fitness community and offset membership costs for veterans through gym partnerships—like Workout Anytime—and non-profit donations.

Christian Brothers – National Service Day

For six straight years, Christian Brothers Automotive has partnered with organizations in the communities it serves to help lift up families in need of a helping hand. Through its annual National Service Day, Christian Brothers locations around the country provided more than 1,250 local single mothers and widows with free oil changes, safety checks, tire rotations and other car maintenance services.

To increase the event’s positive impact, participating Christian Brothers locations partnered with local churches, women’s shelters and domestic violence organizations to help identify mothers and widows in need of vehicle maintenance. The company’s service teams volunteered their time to service the vehicles, and other vendors, employees and church volunteers joined in to donate car washes, refreshments and other goods. Together, the groups have served more than 7,200 families in need since the National Service Day initiative’s founding in 2010.

Wireless Zone – Day of Giving

In 2015, Wireless Zone rallied franchise owners, employees and customers nationwide to make a difference in their community during the holiday season. The brand’s first annual Day of Giving was held on Nov. 18, 2015, and on that day, all Wireless Zone franchises worked together to fight hunger, with all proceeds from the event benefitting Feeding America.

During the Day of Giving event, Wireless Zone owners and employees volunteered their time and talents through Feeding America’s network of food banks in their local community. The brand also encouraged staff and customers to participate in the days leading up to the event by donating canned goods through food collection drives at all Wireless Zone locations.

JAN-PRO – Your Family First Scholarships

Giving back to its owners and their communities is a core part of the JAN-PRO company culture, and the spirit of helping and mentoring others has been a basic belief at JAN-PRO for the past 23 years. In response to the staggering cost of higher education, JAN-PRO created the Your Family First Scholarship Program. In 2014, the inaugural year of the program, master franchise owners across the United States awarded 70 scholarships for college-bound students spanning from Charleston to San Diego. This year, the company once again awarded a total of 70 scholarships, totaling approximately $150,000.

AdvantaClean – St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

Early this year, AdvantaClean announced a national partnership with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in support of their mission to provide quality care to all who need it. Since 1962, the hospital has helped increase the survival rate for childhood cancer from 20 percent to 80 percent. The partnership is still in its infancy, but AdvantaClean is excited to align with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital’s mission to give back and be servant leaders, while also sharing the goal of eliminating this terrible disease.