Steak Escape, an international chain specializing in cheesesteak sandwiches, announced January 7, 2000 its contribution of over $30,000 since 1996 to schools across the U.S.

The Steak Escape Curious Kid Grant is a national program that awards schools for science enrichment in their classrooms. The program, which began in 1996, awards $10,000 to schools nationally each year. School names are submitted to Steak Escape employees at the local level. These schools receive information from Steak Escape’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and are instructed to write grant request letters. The letters are read and evaluated by a board of Steak Escape representatives and are awarded on the basis of need.

One recipient stands out as extraordinary. A high school student, Emily Douglas, from Columbus, Ohio, began a program called Grandma’s Gifts in honor of her deceased grandmother. Through Grandma’s Gifts, Emily reaches out to rural Ohio schools in need of equipment, supplies or special programs. She then approaches businesses to help fund the needs of these Appalachian Ohio schools. Since its beginning, Grandma’s Gifts has been receiving a grant from Steak Escape for science equipment, supplies or education each year.

Steak Escape is franchised by Escape Enterprises, Ltd. in Columbus, Ohio, and has more than 150 locations in the United States and Malaysia.