KFC Gives Foundation Its Biggest Donation Ever

Executives from Susan G. Komen for the Cure visited KFC World Headquarters on August 23 to accept a check from KFC for more than $4.2 million. The money was raised by KFC franchisees and restaurant operators in April and May during the company’s “Buckets for the Cure” campaign. The total amount raised by the 5,000 KFC restaurants coast to coast was $4,249,539, which represents the single largest donation in the history of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

“’Buckets for the Cure’ helped to reach hundreds of thousands of people with breast cancer information while raising funds for the research and community outreach programs that support women and men with breast cancer,” says Mark Nadolny, chief financial officer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, who accepted the check on behalf of the organization. “We are grateful for the participation of KFC and its customers.”

KFC dedicated special pink buckets to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with KFC restaurant operators donating 50 cents for each bucket they purchased through May 9. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised from the promotion go directly to the local Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The funds are being used for local breast cancer education, screening, and treatment programs.

“I want to say a special thank you to the millions of KFC customers who bought pink buckets of chicken during our ‘Buckets for the Cure’ campaign,” says Roger Eaton, president of KFC Corporation. “This was a campaign that allowed our customers to fill up their stomachs and their hearts at the same time. On behalf of the extended KFC family of franchisees and restaurant employees, we are so proud of having worked on this campaign with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.”

During the campaign, KFC changed the color of its bucket from red to pink for the first time, temporarily lit its “White House” headquarters building pink, and even repainted a Louisville restaurant. The Colonel Sanders look-alike who represents the company even traded in his white suit for a pink version to complete the brand’s temporary transformation.