In 2005, Hurricane Katrina ripped through Louisiana and surrounding states, and locals were left without homes and jobs and were in dire need of help getting back on their feet. Checkers & Rally’s took this disaster to heart and developed the CARE program, which to date has awarded more than $450,000 to over 540 employees in need. The program provides relief to any qualified employee within the Checkers & Rally’s system, whether an hourly or salary, following disasters, both natural and personal.

The funds that support the CARE program are raised by the Checkers & Rally’s family, including both corporate and franchise employees and vendors, and given back to those within the Checkers & Rally’s family. The Checkers & Rally’s team has developed several different methods to build awareness and raise money for the CARE program with one of the biggest contributors being an auction of restaurant equipment and other desired products at the annual convention. Last year, this initiative raised nearly $40,000 from the auction alone, and was a large contributor to the 117 employees helped by the program in 2017. Other initiatives include raffles, coupon books sold for $1.00 at all franchisee- and corporate-owned locations and Restaurant Support Center employees donating $5.00 to wear jeans.

In the past, Checkers & Rally’s employees have received CARE grants for a variety of different reasons, but they are always given to an employee who faced a tough challenge in life and needed extra funds to recover. This year at Checkers & Rally’s National Convention, which will be held September 17 to September 21 in Chicago, the brand will be telling the story of a specific employee who needed the CARE funds to cover her time off and week-long hotel stay near the hospital while her deaf son went in for surgery to restore his hearing. When the operation was complete, the Checkers & Rally’s employee shared a video of her son hearing her voice for the first time. This is just one of many stories of ways that Checkers & Rally’s has been able to support its franchise family.

“All employees, both franchisees and corporate, have become really involved with giving back to CARE, especially at the annual convention,” says Linda Van Dyke, Senior Manager of Human Resources at Checkers & Rally’s. “This year, ahead of convention, we have already given away 28 grants to employees in the system, totaling over $33,000. CARE is a great program that brings the entire system together with one common goal; it’s all about family serving family. In true Checkers & Rally’s fashion, we will continue to build awareness and raise money for CARE because we are Passionate About Serving Others.”