Dunkin's Joy in Childhood Foundation Grants $1.25 Million to Support Community-Based Health and Hunger Relief Organizations

CANTON, Mass., April 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- From the start of the pandemic, Dunkin' has supported the heroes on the frontlines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) response. Through its Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, the company has provided financial assistance and resources critically needed in local communities, while Dunkin's franchisees, all of whom are independent businesspeople, have stepped up in meaningful ways to meet the unique needs of their neighborhoods and the people they serve.

Today, Dunkin' announces that $1.25 million in emergency funding, made available by its Foundation in March, has been granted to health and hunger relief organizations throughout the country. Together, Dunkin' and the Foundation delivered more than 10,000 cups of coffee and 20,000 baked goods to more than 20,000 healthcare workers in recent weeks, with plans to continue serving those who serve – and those in need – during these unprecedented times. 

"The heroic people and organizations keeping this country running during such an uncertain time can count on Dunkin' to have their backs," said Scott Murphy, President, Dunkin' Americas. "Through the power of our Foundation and the commitment of our franchisees to give back to the neighborhoods where they live and work, Dunkin' will continue to support our guests, our communities, and the heroes making daily sacrifices on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight."

Foundation funding vital community services

In mid-March, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation announced that it was making $1.25 million in emergency funding available for grants to community-based health and hunger relief organizations. The Foundation was immediately inundated with grant applications and was able to quickly overnight $100,000 in grants to needy food banks and community-based food providers. The grants are funding vital services such as emergency food boxes and meal kits for families, backpacks for children displaced from school, and food and water for families in shelters. 

According to Ilene Isaacs, Executive Director of Table to Table, "The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation has been a leader in quickly assessing the emergency needs COVID-19 has created in our local communities. Without an extensive procedure that would tap the already overtaxed resources of non-profit staffs, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation awarded funding that is helping us serve the people who are now in the greatest need. This emergency grant enables us to provide the food for 100,000 fresh, healthy meals for the families who are struggling throughout northeast New Jersey."

Dunkin' delivers to hospitals and healthcare workers

Through funding provided by the Foundation, Dunkin' has been sending its food trucks and making product deliveries to hospitals and emergency sites throughout the country, serving complimentary cups of coffee and baked goods to help keep hard-working medical staff running. In recent days, Dunkin' has served product at healthcare facilities, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, the Office for Emergency Management in Brooklyn, University of New Mexico Hospital, and others, with more visits planned for the coming weeks.

Dunkin' also continues to send individual care packages to medical professionals across the country. To-date, the brand has donated 8,000 pounds of Dunkin' packaged coffee, 3,700 boxes of Keurig^® K-Cup pods, and nearly 40,000 Dunkin' gift cards in care packages distributed to 170 hospitals, first responders, and food banks across the country.

Franchisees give back to their communities

In addition to making individual deliveries and donations to healthcare organizations and first responders, Dunkin's franchisees are taking action to support the people in the communities where they live and work. A few examples include:

• Lou and Julie Cabral are assisting school-aged children who may not know where their next meal will come from by offering them a free drink, sandwich, and donut at their nine Dunkin' shops in Richmond, Va.
• In Massachusetts, Jim and Stephanie Allen are delivering complimentary meals to elderly customers who live across the street from one restaurant.
• Jerry Fives has turned the dining room of one his restaurants into a sewing room where his employees are sewing face masks for the local senior center in Dickson City, Pa.
• In San Diego, franchisee Tali Burton is recognizing medical staff and first responders with free beverages, and he has donated coffee and donuts to the California Highway patrol to bring to local healthcare facilities.

To learn more about community support efforts, please visit here.

DunkinCoffeeBreak.com 

Dunkin' this week launched an online gift card site, DunkinCoffeeBreak.com, so that guests can send a Dunkin' e-gift card as a small token of appreciation to thank a doctor, nurse, first responder, teacher, grocery clerk, postal worker, neighbor, or any hero in their life. For every card purchased at this site, Dunkin' will donate $1, up to $100,000, to the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation emergency funds, specifically for non-profits helping families affected by COVID-19.

The majority of Dunkin' U.S. shops are open and have limited service to drive-thru ordering, carry-out, and delivery, with a select number of locations also offering curbside service.

About Dunkin'
Founded in 1950, Dunkin' is America's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 14 years running. The company has more than 13,000 restaurants in 41 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin' is part of the Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com. 

About the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation
The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin' and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, children's hospitals and nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and joyful experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $25 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, please visit www.bringjoy.org.

Media Contact:
Caroline Medeiros
781-737-5200
[email protected]

SOURCE Dunkin’