Papa John’s announced the company raised more than $3 million through sales of the Shaq-a-Roni pizza for The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, which supports communities as they work together for equality, fairness, respect and opportunity for all

“Thanks to the generosity of each customer who ordered a Shaq-a-Roni pizza and the support of our franchisees and team members, we raised more than $3 million to support communities and causes very close to my heart,” says Shaquille O’Neal, Papa John’s Board Member and franchise owner.

From June 29 through August 23, $1 from every Shaq-a-Roni sold was donated to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community. The Foundation will now distribute the donated funds to organizations that support its mission including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, World Central Kitchen, and UNCF (United Negro College Fund). Grants will also be given to Goodr to support efforts to build food-insecure communities and GLI (Greater Louisville Inc.) to support the Business Council to End Racism. Within the next year, the remainder of the funds will be distributed to other grassroots organizations in communities across the country.

“The money raised through the Shaq-a-Roni is going to incredible organizations that support causes like COVID-19 relief and the fight against racial injustice,” adds O’Neal. “As a Boys & Girls Clubs alum, I know the impact Papa John’s continued support is having on these kids and their families’ lives.”

“Papa John’s has been fortunate during the pandemic, as we have been able to deliver food to people who want or need to stay at home. It’s our privilege to both feed our communities and give back during these challenging times,” says Rob Lynch, president and CEO of Papa John’s. “Last year we launched The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, aligned with our company values of People First, Do the Right Thing and Everyone Belongs. Especially in these times of need, we’re proud to continue our work towards equality, fairness, respect and opportunity for all through our ongoing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and new partnerships with UNCF and World Central Kitchen, with more to come in the future.”

The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community will donate funds raised from Shaq-a-Roni sales to the following organizations to help students, families, and individuals in need:

World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization founded by chef and humanitarian José Andrés, will receive support for COVID-19 food relief. The donation will support World Central Kitchen’s “Restaurant for the People” program, which engages local restaurants to prepare meals that are then delivered to food insecure communities that have been identified through local partnerships.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a youth development nonprofit and two-year partner of The Papa John’s Foundation, will continue receiving support to help address the challenges posed by COVID-19 for kids and families, and to drive leadership development programs for kids in local communities.

UNCF, the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization, will receive funding to support initiatives designed to move historically Black college and university students to and through college. Specifically, the donation will benefit UNCF’s Emergency Student Aid (ESA) program providing COVID-19 relief, as well as scholarships and leadership development.

Goodr, which provides direct support to families, seniors and nonprofits, will receive funding to continue support of efforts to reach food insecure communities, especially challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GLI (Greater Louisville Inc., The Metro Chamber of Commerce) funding will support the Business Council to End Racism, a program designed to support diverse-owned small businesses with financial access, business planning and other needs to scale and grow their operations.

The Shaq-a-Roni was offered for a limited time, consisting of an extra-large pizza made from Papa John’s fresh, never-frozen six ingredient dough, topped with extra cheese and extra pepperoni, then cut into Papa John’s largest slice size to-date. More information about the Shaq-a-Roni pizza, including The Papa John’s Foundation and its grantees, can be found at www.papajohns.com/foundation.