CKE Restaurants Holdings, parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, reported that its Veterans Day 2015 in-store fundraising campaign in partnership with Activision raised $285,000 in less than 24 hours. The funds raised will go directly to the Call of Duty Endowment, a nonprofit created by Activision Blizzard that funds the placement of veterans into high-quality jobs.
“The Endowment’s average 2015 cost to get a vet a good job is trending under $700 per person, so this significant donation will help more than 400 vets gain employment,” says Dan Goldenberg, executive director for the Call of Duty Endowment. “We are grateful for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s support and thank all the customers that contributed towards this effort.”
During the charitable activation, all proceeds from the sale of any “Ultimate Care Package” combo meal were collected, then matched at 50 percent by Activation Blizzard. These funds will directly benefit our nation’s military heroes and their families through the Call of Duty Endowment.
“Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have long been committed to helping our nation’s veterans through our Stars for Heroes program, and we’re always looking for new ways to support veterans,” says Andy Puzder, chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants. “That’s why we jumped at the chance to initiate a special Veterans Day promotion with Activision to help raise funds for the Call of Duty Endowment. It’s great to hear that more than a quarter of a million dollars was raised in less than 24 hours to help veterans find high quality jobs thanks to the support of our loyal customers.”
This Veterans Day fundraising campaign follows Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s marketing campaign with Activision Publishing in October 2015 to support the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops III. The comprehensive program, still ongoing, features unique in-restaurant and in-game integrations, a peel-and-win game piece sweepstakes, and a Call of Duty–inspired national ad campaign in collaboration with Los Angeles–, New York–, and Amsterdam-based agency 72andSunny: “Best Day Ever,” featuring the return of iconic commercial star Charlotte McKinney.
This announcement is the most recent example of CKE’s large commitment to military-based philanthropic endeavors. On November 10, the company reported that its annual Stars for Heroes in-store fundraising campaign raised $1.4 million in 2015 (up from 2014’s $1.1 million) to benefit U.S. military veterans and their families.
