Domino’s Pizza and its franchisees are giving away around 10 million slices of pizza in their local communities, and it starts this week. Some of the communities being provided for will be hospital and medical centers, schoolkids and their families, health departments, grocery store workers and others in need. Domino’s says that all 6,126 stores around the country are expected to take part in the effort.
"We have a long history of feeding people during times of crisis and uncertainty. When we were looking at how we could help, we knew we could use the reach of our national brand to make a difference in thousands of local neighborhoods," said Russell Weiner, Domino's chief operating officer and president of the Americas in a press release. "We have franchisees and company-owned stores all over the country already doing amazing work in their communities and we know that by amplifying those efforts together we will be able to help even more people who are struggling right now."
Multiple franchisees have already started helping out in their local areas.
"We empowered our managers to look for opportunities in their local neighborhoods to donate pizzas to those in need," said Domino's franchisee Pat Farmer in the same press release, who owns stores in the Seattle-Tacoma area. "It could be for families, frontline workers or even those showing up to work at our grocery stores. Stores are now actively looking for who they can help next. They have pride in how they're making a difference during difficult times."
Another franchisee, Jason Shifflett, who operates in the Memphis-area, has already donated an addition 1,000 pizzas to his community.
"We take our responsibility seriously and we are honored that we can provide meals to those in need, as well as those who are working to save lives during this difficult time," said Memphis-area Domino's franchisee Jason Shifflett in the news release.
Previously to this effort from Domino’s, the corporate team in Arizona teamed up with Child Crisis Arizona to provide 100 families gift cards to give them a meal. This was due to schools closing and families needing to give another meal to their children who might not have been able to afford it. Domino’s also gave a pizza lunch to multiple children who are living in a group home in a foster system, and youth staying in Child Crisis Arizona’s emergency shelter.