The Cleveland-based fast food chain Rascal House—known for its pizza, burgers, fries, subs, salads, wings unique catering program—has a long-standing partnership with Cleveland State University. The Euclid Avenue business has strengthened its commitment to the university this year through gifts totaling over $8,000 to the Irene Frangos Endowment Fund, the Radiance Scholars program and other initiatives.
The Frangos’ family involvement with Cleveland State University began in 1980 when Rascal House first opened and became the go-to location for CSU students to eat and spend time. While the Frangos family and Rascal House had supported many initiatives at CSU over the years, the opportunity to make a real difference came to life when the school opened the College of Science and Health Professions in 2004. Rascal House’s corporate-social responsibility to give back to the community began when they became the first donors to the College of Science by creating the Irene Frangos Endowment Fund in 2004. The fund was created to commemorate the life of Irene Frangos—Niko’s grandmother who passed of leukemia.
“The College of Science and Health Professions created a new learning environment that was benefitting the community, and we knew we wanted to be a part of that,” says Niko Frangos, CEO of Rascal House. “I know that the education students receive at CSU is unparalleled, and to have the opportunity to help future medical professionals is the least we can do to support students as they take on one of medicine’s most difficult challenges—studying the fight against cancer.”
The scholarship is awarded to one undergraduate student in the College of Science and Health Professions who has an interest in medical research, biomedical research or a field in relation to research focused on the cause and cure of leukemia and cancer. Each year the scholarship is awarded to a different student who is need of financial assistance, shows some academic achievement and a promise of successfully completing the baccalaureate degree.
“We are very grateful for the continuous support and generosity of the Frangos family and Rascal House to our students’ success and campus community,” says Meredith Bond, dean of the College of Sciences and Health Professions.
In addition to the yearly scholarship, Rascal House’s involvement with CSU is exemplified with other countless contributions made to the university in the form of food, partnerships with the athletic department, and community advocacy.
“CSU has a special place in our family, my cousins graduated from there, my aunt was a math major along with many of our team members as well. To give back to the university that has shaped so many of us, is the least we can do,” says Frangos.
In addition to their longstanding commitment to CSU’s College of Science and Health Professions, Rascal House also supports the athletics program yearly. Aside from their involvement with CSU, Rascal House demonstrates an even bigger commitment to the community through partnerships with several other organizations such as: Police Athletic League (PAL), Make a Wish Foundation, Harvest for Hunger, YWCA, Red Cross and OCR Cancer Research Initiatives.
Founded in 1980 by Mike and Fouly Frangos, Niko Frangos’ parents, Rascal House prides itself on being “a different kind of pizza place.” While handcrafted pizza made with homemade dough and sauces is no doubt the cornerstone of the Rascal House menu (more than 2.1 million pizzas served and counting), other food offerings include a variety unseen in the pizza industry—from burgers, subs and wraps to salads, wings and other tasty munchies.
It isn’t just the food or the concept that make Rascal House “a different kind of pizza place”. Their involvement and commitment to different local organizations, demonstrates their appreciation to the community that has influenced the brand’s success and provided them with outstanding employees.
Today, there are five restaurants open and operating throughout the Cleveland Metro area.
