Chipotle Leverages New Fundraising Technology To Support Under-Resourced Students
Brand launches local, digital fundraisers and donates laptops to students in need
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced it is leveraging its new fundraising technology to help support under-resourced students returning to school. Through its first-ever digital fundraising program, Chipotle will support students across the country by donating 33% of fundraiser event sales back to local educational organizations using unique promotional codes. Over nearly a decade, three fourths of the brands in-restaurant fundraisers have been school related and raised more than $50 million for education-driven causes. Due to limitations with in-restaurant dining over the last few months, Chipotle has postponed these activities and is now introducing an online component to accompany the in-restaurant option.
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“The new digital fundraising program is another example of our relentless push to replicate the Chipotle restaurant experience digitally,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer. “Customers can now contribute to impactful organizations in their community through delivery and pick-up orders.”
Chipotle will also leverage its real change feature on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com to support Kids In Need Foundation (www.kinf.org), a national non-profit organization that partners with teachers and students in underserved schools to provide the resources needed for teachers to teach and learners to learn. From August 31 through September 27, guests can round-up their change to the next highest dollar amount on the Chipotle app or Chipotle.com to support under-resourced junior high and high school students returning to remote learning. The funds raised will go directly toward laptops and school supplies that will be delivered in Chipotle-branded backpacks with free meal cards to students across the U.S.
“As a digitally forward company, we understand the importance of equipping students with capable technology to aid the effectiveness of virtual learning this school year,” said Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our partnership with the Kids In Need Foundation combined with our guests’ support through the real change digital fundraising program on the Chipotle app will broaden opportunities for many kids as well as their communities.”
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“As a society, our reliance on technology continues to grow. With many students learning part-time or exclusively at home, that dependence is mirrored in our schools. Without access to laptops and connectivity, under-resourced students are experiencing a gap in their education,” said Corey Gordon, CEO of Kids In Need Foundation. “As a well-known national brand and leader in its local communities, we are grateful that Chipotle is acknowledging the challenges students are facing due to the digital divide and supporting those students with the technology they need to learn.”
Computer Access in the U.S.
More than 7,000,000 children in the U.S. do not have computers at home*, and this lack of access disproportionately affects children from Black, Latino and Native American households**. The achievement gap among these households is expected to worsen as the country leans on virtual learning to begin the school year***. Through its support for the Kids In Need Foundation, Chipotle hopes to narrow the digital divide and provide laptops for students without computers across the country.
Continuing to Drive Real Change
From August 8 to August 31, Chipotle spotlighted Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), an American non-profit organization that supports and represents students attending its 47 member-schools that include publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), medical schools, and law schools. Since June, Chipotle has leveraged the real change feature to raise more than $1,400,000 for organizations supporting underserved communities.
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