Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Carl’s Jr. Team-Up for Campaign
- Carl’s Jr. Launches Annual In-Restaurant Fundraiser for Phoenix Children’s -
PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 2, 2012) – Frontier Star CJ LLC, a Phoenix-based franchise of Carl’s Jr. Restaurants has launched its 7th annual campaign benefiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Customers of its 45 area restaurants can make a donation to Phoenix Children’s from now until April 23rd and receive a “buy one get one free” coupon for a Southwest Patty Melt®, good through May 22nd.
This year, Carl’s Jr. will surpass $200,000 in total donations since it began fundraising for Phoenix Children’s in 2005.
Carl’s Jr. Founder, Carl N. Karcher and his wife, Margaret were generous and enthusiastic philanthropists for many charitable causes. Frontier Star CJ LLC CEO, Jason LeVecke and COO, Carl LeVecke have carried on this tradition of community involvement. “We’re inspired by Carl’s vision and work with our employees to keep his dream alive. That is why our relationship with Phoenix Children’s Hospital is so important to us. We are committed to grow with them,” said CEO Jason LeVecke.
Every dollar raised will have a direct impact on patient care and critical programs and services. Phoenix Children’s Hospital has been undergoing a major expansion in the past several years to keep up with the demand for its world-class care. A state-of-the-art new patient tower opened in 2011, making Phoenix Children’s one of the largest children’s hospital in the country. In 2012, plans for a new emergency department and Level 1 Trauma Center get underway to serve the more than 65,000 kids who need its essential care each year.
“We can’t provide the exceptional patient care that we do without generous supporters like Carl’s Jr.,” said Steve Schnall, the Hospital’s senior vice president and chief development officer. “We truly appreciate the ongoing support provided by Carl’s Jr. employees and customers.”
For additional information about the Carl’s Jr. campaign, contact Annette Atkisson, 602-471-9267 or annetteatkisson@gmail.com.
About Phoenix Children's Hospital
Phoenix Children’s Hospital, ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals, is Arizona’s only licensed children’s hospital, providing world-class care in more than 40 pediatric specialties to children from throughout the state and region. Phoenix Children’s is in the midst of a major expansion to meet the needs of the Southwest’s rapid population growth. The signature element of the expansion is a new 11-story, 750,000-square-foot tower which will enable the hospital to grow from 426 licensed beds today to a total of 626 licensed beds once the project is complete. The hospital’s expansion also includes an aggressive physician recruitment effort and new satellite centers in high growth areas of the Valley.
About Carl's Jr. Restaurants
Carl’s Jr. Founder, Carl N. Karcher was an active supporter and board member of many non-profit groups and encouraged community involvement within the company he founded. He chaired the 1978 and 1979 Orange County United Way campaign and raised more than $18 million. He and his wife Margaret generously and enthusiastically contributed to many organizations, and were long-time supporters of such groups as Providence Speech and Hearing Center and Lestonnac Free Clinic.
1941 was the year that changed Carl's life, from a career standpoint. He and Margaret purchased a hot dog cart on July 17, 1941 for $326 ($15 cash and $311 borrowed on his 1941 Plymouth Super Deluxe). The first day's sales totaled $14.75. Business grew, and on January 16, 1945, Carl opened Carl's Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim, Calif. The first Carl's Jr.® restaurants opened in 1956. Today, the business that began with that first hot dog cart has grown to include more than 3,000 restaurants, and 30,000 employees worldwide. CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,036 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,121 Carl's Jr.® restaurants, 1,915 Hardee's® restaurants.
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Media Contact:
Allison Otu
602-933-0824
