CONTRIBUTED PHOTO – Hardee’s staff presented a huge check to the food pantry after raising 1,100 dollars for the organization. On November 25, Hardee’s shared to their facebook page “We want to give a big thanks to all of our customers who helped make this possible!!”
Hardee’s in Toledo recently completed two fundraising campaigns that generated more than $1,700 for local organizations, according to district manager Ashlea Kearney.
Instead of a typical in-store holiday promotion, Hardee’s employees encouraged customers to participate in a “round-up” donation benefiting the South Tama County food pantry. Guests were invited to round their purchase total up to the nearest dollar or donate spare change at the register.
Over a two-week period, the store raised $1,100, all of which was donated directly to the local food pantry.
“With food benefits going away or being delayed, we wanted to do something that could help our guests and the community a little more,” Kearney said. “One hundred percent of what we raised stayed local and went right back into the community.”
Kearney said the response from customers was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing appreciation for the opportunity to give back. One guest donated nearly $30 in a single visit.
“It was a really good turnout for us,” she said. “The feedback from guests was very positive, and it felt good to be able to help.”
In addition to the food pantry fundraiser, Hardee’s also held an Angel Tree donation drive during the holiday season. Using the same round-up and spare change concept, the restaurant raised just over $700 in two weeks.
Funds from the Angel Tree drive were used to purchase gifts for children through programs serving the Tama-Toledo area and the Meskwaki Nation. Kearney said tags were collected from trees at Dollar Fresh, and gifts were purchased for multiple children, and nine tags connected to purchase gifts for residents at Sunny Hill.
“We were able to do quite a bit with what we raised,” Kearney said with a smile. “It was really nice to see everyone come together to help.”
As a district manager Ashlea oversees the Hardee’s locations in Toledo and Tipton, and said similar fundraisers were held at both restaurants with comparable success.
Due to the positive response, the restaurant plans to continue community-focused fundraising efforts in the future.
Currently, Hardee’s is also running its annual “12 Days of Christmas” promotion. Each day, guests can take a free product coupon from the restaurant’s Christmas tree, with the value of the coupons increasing as Christmas approaches. Coupons are distributed in both the morning and afternoon to give more customers an opportunity to participate.
“Our guests really enjoy it, and they were asking when we were going to start it again this year!”
With a strong sense of community and local support, Hardee’s aims to keep serving more than just fast food within Tama-Toledo.
Dining and Cooking