CKE Restaurants Inc., parent company to Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurant chains, launches the Stars for Troops fundraising campaign this week at participating restaurant locations.
The campaign raises funds to assist military families and veterans through national charity partnerships with Homes for Our Troops and USA Cares.
The Stars for Troops fundraising campaign kicks off today at Hardee's and May 4 at Carl's Jr. and will run for three weeks. To participate, restaurant guests donate $1 in support of military charities. For each $1 donation, guests receive a commemorative "Stars for Troops" cut-out to personalize and place on display in the restaurant; in addition, they receive restaurant coupons valued at more than $10 to use toward future purchases.
"Advocating for our military families and veterans is a cause close to my heart and the hearts of our CKE employees, our franchisees and guests," said Andrew F. Puzder, chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants. "Through our military charity partnerships, our customers' generous contributions will go toward building homes and gifts of basic necessities for our injured veterans, as well as providing them and their families with crucial financial and advocacy support."
Previous to Stars for Troops, CKE Restaurants helped raise more than $4.1 million throughout six years in support of breast cancer screenings and research – surpassing the $1 million mark in both 2009 and 2010.
The idea for such a fundraising drive began with the Carl's Jr. franchise group, the Star Franchise Association, in 2005. Hardee's franchise group, the International Hardee's Franchise Association, joined the fundraising program in 2007.
CKE Restaurants is dedicated to an annual fundraising campaign, which raises money for a cause important to guests, franchisees, employees and their families. It was these groups who helped choose the new campaign focus and subsequent beneficiaries.
The "Stars for Troops" cut-outs that will be on display in restaurants combine Happy Star, the icon for both Hardee's and Carl's Jr., and stars and stripes, representing the American flag.
The funds raised through the 2011 Stars for Troops spring fundraiser will directly support both local and national programs of Homes for Our Troops and USA Cares throughout the entire year.
