Wendy’s will support Mississippi children’s organizations in The Children’s Day of Hope on Sunday with a statewide effort to raise money.
Every Wendy’s in Mississippi will donate every dollar of its sales to the Harden House Adoption Program, the Palmer Home for Children or the Mississippi Family for Kids. Some franchises out of the state are also going to donate a portion of their sales for these recipients.
The Wendy’s in The Colvard Union will be closed because of the university’s Fall Break, but the Wendy’s on Miss. Highway 12 will be open.
“We did not know that this would be the first year that we would have a Fall Break. We will be closed,” Shirley Patton, general manager for The Union Wendy’s store said.
The Starkville franchise has done well in the past, and they expect to continue, said Chantay Montgomery, assistant manager for the Starkville store.
“I feel that we will break our own record for last year, and we did really well then,” Montgomery said.
Both Wendy’s received donations during the last few weeks by asking customers to donate a dollar when they purchase food. Individuals who donate can sign their name to a card which covers the wall.
Montgomery said that the campaign has raised $800-$900 over approximately two weeks.
This is the third year that Mississippi Wendy’s stores have held this event, but charity organizations have always been important to the company.
“(Founder) Dave (Thomas) was adopted himself, so he always donated money for kids,” Montgomery explained.
The Harden House Adoption Program is a Mississippi organization to help children with special needs to be placed in a permanent home. Harden House works in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Human Services for their adoption support and protection program.
The Palmer Home is a non-profit organization for orphaned children.
It works almost entirely from gifts from private foundations, churches, individuals and corporations.
“The Palmer Home Provides long-term residential care for socially parentless children,” said Robert Farris, executive director of the Palmer Home Hernando campus.
The money from Wendy’s will cover some operating expenses as well as the cost of the new campus of the Palmer Home, just outside of Hernando.
“It is an incredibly generous gift from the franchisee owners.” Farris said. “We are thankful for people like the Carlisles,” he said, referring to the owners of the Wendy’s in Starkville.