Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The Business Sector CAN Make a Difference in Social Issues

I just received an e-mail with a link to an article MSNBC is running online.

 

Quizno’s Founder Fights Homelessness
The founder of the Denver-based Quizno’s restaurant chain and his wife are starting a business-minded group to help raise money for cities fighting homelessness.

The first project of Richard and Cheryl Schaden's America's Road Home, announced Thursday, will revolve around marketing a film about homelessness, "Where God Left His Shoes." A restaurant in Denver could follow, with proceeds going toward America's Road Home.

Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, welcomed the private-sector help.

He said the effort to fight homelessness hasn't had many high-profile boosters since Comic Relief in the 1980s. His group has been trying to get public officials, including the presidential hopefuls, to agree to live on the streets for 48 hours to draw attention to the issue.

"We really need whoever, I don't care if it's a Democrat or a Republican, we need people who have more influence than you or I to mobilize and lead the way," Stoops said.

Schaden said fighting homelessness is important to him because both he and his wife have had relatives who have ended up on the streets. One of the relatives had had medical problems while another lost a job and was too embarrassed to let the rest of the family know, he said.
"What it tells you is that anybody can end up there," Schaden said. "With a volatile economy it can happen pretty quickly."

 

Go read the full article.  Then go tell Quizno’s how much you love ‘em and buy a sandwich.  ‘Mmmm Toasty.

4 comments:

  1. You don't have to tell me twice.

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  2. Wow, I will definitely be visiting Quizno's soon!

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  3. That's awesome. I love that you promote something you believe in. I need to follow suit soon. Writing about my causes.

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  4. Isn't so nice to see that some corporations actually DO give a damn?? Thanks so much for posting this! I will now be choosing Quiznos over Subway whenever I'm in the mood for a sammie.

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