Wendy's Announces Series of Charitable Commitments

Company pledges more than $275,000 to organizations across the globe

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Aug 26, 2021, 10:00 ET

DUBLIN, Ohio, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wendy's Company announced today that it will make charitable donations to a variety of organizations across the globe that align with Wendy's core categories of charitable support: foster care adoption, hunger and food integrity, youth and families, and vibrant communities. These commitments are a continuation of Wendy's Community Giving Program that started in 2020.

"Wendy's believes in doing the right thing in the communities where we live and work, so we're proud to not only continue our giving program in 2021 but also increase our charitable contributions," said Liliana Esposito, Wendy's Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer. "It's also very fulfilling to know that we're contributing direct support to organizations and causes that are important to our employees."

New charitable contributions include:

$100,000 donation over four years to Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) to support its new Rooted in You campaign to re-imagine ending hunger. MOFC serves 20 counties in Ohio and is one of the largest food banks in the United States.
$50,000 donation to Columbus Urban League for programming focused on workforce development and opportunity creation, including the continuation of Wendy's Workforce Institute—a paid training experience for young adults in the Central Ohio community.
$50,000 donation to YWCA Columbus to support YWCA Kids Place (YKP) and educational programming, including scholarship opportunities for high-quality youth development summer camp and after-school programs.
Nearly $50,000 to various organizations throughout Wendy's global restaurant footprint through its Community Giving Program. Company employees could request financial support for a charitable organization in the general range of $2,500 - $10,000. Nine organizations were selected to receive a grant:

All People's Church Food Hub – Ontario, Canada
Alvis – Columbus, OH
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey – Asbury Park, NJ
Casa Valentina – Miami, FL
Communities in Schools of Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL
Hillcrest Hope – Liberty, MO
My Project USA – Columbus, OH
MyUmbrella – Berkshire, United Kingdom
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida – Orlando, FL

$30,000 in grants for Wendy's six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to jumpstart sustainable partnerships with organizations that support each ERG's mission. Wendy's ERGs support Company employees and help create opportunities for learning, inclusion, career growth and leadership development. Each ERG was eligible to apply for a grant and the recipients include:

Central Community House – Columbus, OH
Kaleidoscope Youth Center – Columbus, OH
National Veterans Memorial and Museum – Columbus, OH
Son of a Saint – New Orleans, LA
Star House – Columbus, OH
Wounded Warrior Project – Jacksonville, FL
Zora's House – Columbus, OH

About Wendy's
Wendy's® was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Wendy's is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty® dessert. The Wendy's Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids® program, which seeks to find every child in the North American foster care system a loving, forever home. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Drake
614-764-3586, [email protected]

SOURCE The Wendy’s Company