Chain’s Combined Donation Amounts To More Than $1 Million
Atlanta, GA (RestaurantNews.com) In its third-year alliance with Make-A-Wish, Zaxby’s is increasing its commitment to the organization with a $400,000 donation to help grant the wishes of more than 50 children with life-threatening medical conditions. To date, the chain has donated more than $1 million to Make-A-Wish to help make more than 100 children’s wishes come true.
“The courage and strength these children have every day is extraordinary,” said Zach McLeroy, CEO and cofounder of Zaxby’s. “We are pleased to continue making a lasting impact on their lives and the lives of the families and communities they touch.”
The sponsorship is part of Zaxby’s ongoing effort, Zaxby’s Kidz Care, which encourages kids to be caring, kind and involved in their communities, and is housed on the company’s website, zaxbys.com.
Throughout the alliance, Zaxby’s will feature a few of the wishes it has granted on its website at zaxbys.com/MAW. Visitors can view a video series, filmed by Zaxby’s, that captures each child’s personal experiences and emotions during the granting of their wish. The wish kids whose wishes will be highlighted include:
- 3-year-old Cooper, who underwent a small bowel transplant and wished to have a puppy.
- 4-year-old Makenzie, who has leukemia and wished to drive a racecar.
- 8-year-old Mercedes, who has a neurological disorder and wished for an adaptive bicycle.
For a second year, Zaxby’s Kidz Meals will include a postcard inspiring children to color, write a positive note and share it with Zaxby’s and Make-A-Wish. Throughout each week of the program, one postcard will be featured as a Kidz Care Wish of the Week on Zaxby’s Facebook page, facebook.com/zaxbys.
To learn more about the charitable efforts of the sponsorship, view the video series, and learn how to make a personal donation to Make-A-Wish, visit zaxbys.com/MAW.
About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 226,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; nearly 14,000 in 2012 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org.
About Zaxby’s
An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers its guests prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Traditional or Boneless Wings, sandwiches, Zalads and Zappetizers, along with a variety of nine sauces, ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane. Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley hatched the Athens, Ga.-based chain in 1990 to provide a fun, relaxing atmosphere that would keep guests coming back for more. Zaxby’s ranked number one in the chicken segment and number five in the nation for total sales by Technomic in the 2012 Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report. Consumers ranked Zaxby’s as the Most Craveable Fast Casual in America in Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics program, and the chain was listed as one of the 12 Best Franchise Deals in 2013 by QSR magazine. In honor of the thousands of children the restaurant chain serves every year, Zaxby’s is a proud supporter of Make-A-Wish. The company operates more than 590 locations in 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, please visit zaxbys.com, zaxbysfranchising.com or facebook.com/zaxbys, or follow on Twitter @Zaxbys.
