Gold Star Chili, “The Flavor of Cincinnati,” announced a new community involvement initiative as a result of a partnership with the nonprofit The Cure Starts Now Foundation.
The first of several fundraising initiatives is an in-store donation campaign that encourages Gold Star customers to “Drop A Dollar” in collection boxes located at the cash registers of all area Gold Star restaurants. The campaign will launch February 14 and run for two months, with pro bono media support from Norton Outdoor Advertising and 700 WLW.
A spring and summer initiative, in partnership with Q-IO2-FM, is “Coney’s for the Cure.” Gold Star will leverage its stage sponsorship of Q-102’s Wednesday Party on the River, and donate sales from the Gold Star Chilimobile, which will be selling cheese coneys at all spring and summer parties/concerts at Yeatman’s Cove every other Wednesday, beginning May 4. Gold Star is also a silver sponsor of the Foundation’s “Once In A Lifetime” gala, March 19, where participants can bid for a Cincinnati-style block party for up to 100 people, catered by the Gold Star Chilimobile during the event’s silent auction.
The Cure Starts Now Cancer Research Foundation (501c3 Federal Non-Profit) is one of the only cancer foundations dedicated to a “homerun” cure for all cancers, starting first with one of the most deadly and difficult cancers: pediatric brain cancer. Many experts believe that the lessons learned from fighting pediatric cancer may in fact provide us the critical first step in winning the battle against all forms of cancer, both pediatric and adult.
“One of our core brand pillars is the commitment to make a positive difference in the communities that we serve,” says Gold Star Chili vice president of marketing and brand development Charlie Howard. “Time and again, industry research and our own research indicate that consumers believe that it is important for the brands that they patronize stand for something and serve a higher purpose than just profit. Additionally, our reasons for becoming engaged with The Cure Starts Now Foundation and its goal of finding a ‘home run’ cure for all cancers, is personal, having lost one of our founders and two of our key executives to cancer in just the past 24 months.”
“Gold Star’s support of The Cure Starts Now Foundation’s research initiatives proves once again their commitment to the community and beyond,” says Keith Desserich of The Cure Starts Now Foundation. “With their focus on the revolutionary ‘homerun’ strategy for cancer research, they are a partner in a greater goal of not only to fight cancer, but to cure it.”
