Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2012 | Page 35

MVP 2012
for us and faces a unique financial crisis
can apply for a grant—not a loan—from
the foundation to help them get through
the crisis,” he says.
At first the foundation raised $35,000
to $40,000 a year. T years ago, Doherty
wo
gave the board of directors a challenge.
“I said, ‘If you can get 3,500 people [out
of the company’s 6,600 employees] enrolled and raise $75,000, my wife Joan
and I will match it. We can do a lot
more with $150,000.’ Well, they raised
$79,000 that year and we matched it. Last
year, we challenged them to increase to
4,500 contributing and to raise $100,000
and we’d match it. They got over 4,500
and raised $125,000 and we matched it.
That gave us a pool of $250,000 to help
people. Applicants don’t even have to
contribute to get a grant. This project

makes people feel good about working
for our company.”
An especially poignant example of the
foundation’s good came when a cook at
one of the restaurants went out with his
buddies after work to celebrate his last
night before his fiancée would give birth
to their child. When the young man left
the bar, he was murdered. The next day
his fiancée went into the hospital to have
a C-section. “His GM explained to the
company what had happened and asked
if Wow-A-Friend could give anything to
help her,” Doherty says. “She’d never
worked for us and they weren’t even
married, but the foundation made a
significant contribution. My wife and
I matched it. There are tons of stories
like that. Our people have really gotten
into helping each other and treating

others well. That’s how we’ve grown
our business.”
In addition, the company, the 100th
largest restaurant organization in the
country, asks that management and crew
volunteer twice a year at community
charitable events. “The 䁑