Hooters Donates $36,310 to Holy Family School
Hooters Wings for the Kids Program has raised over $1 million for the school
Representatives from the Chicagoland Hooters locations had the opportunity to volunteer for Read Across America Day at Holy Family School. During the celebration restaurant employees presented a donation of $36,310 to the school as part of the annual Hooters Wings for the Kids partnership. Since its inception in 1992, the Wings for the Kids program has now raised $1,077,186 for Holy Family School.
The Hooters Restaurants of the Chicagoland area participating in the Wings for the Kids program include Aurora, Chicago-O’Hare, Chicago-Wells Street, Countryside, Downers Grove, Joliet, Lansing, Melrose Park, Oak Lawn, Orland Park and Schaumburg. The money raised funds tuition, library books, classroom supplies, technology and other school essentials for children living in underresourced communities. Holy Family School is located at 3415 W. Arthington St. in Homan Square on the west side of Chicago.
Hooters Girls who read to the children and participated in the check presentation on March 2 include Jocelyne Serna (Oak Lawn), Alexis Daniels (O’Hare), Helena Wieczorek (Downers Grove), Elliana Enriquez (Downers Grove) and HMC Hospitality Group Marketing Manager Stephanie Martinez.
“As families face difficult decisions about covering essential expenses like housing, groceries, gas, and medical care, a private school education can too often feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. That reality is heartbreaking, because parents deserve the ability to choose the educational environment that best supports their children. When a school closes, it is more than the loss of a building, it is the loss of a community where children feel known, valued, and nurtured, not just taught. Programs like Wings for the Kids play a vital role in ensuring students can continue receiving a private school education during times of financial hardship. For more than 30 years, Holy Family’s partnership with Hooters has made a meaningful difference, allowing us to provide critical financial assistance and ensure our students remain in a safe, nurturing, and academically enriching environment,” said Cheryl Wells Collins, Holy Family School CEO.
Holy Family School was established in 1985 to offer a high-quality education for minority students in Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods. Holy Family provides a learning environment that nurtures intellectual, spiritual, social, emotional and physical growth for students preschool through eighth grade. All proceeds directly support the children of Holy Family, by funding scholarships and after school programs.
“We started the Wings for Kids Initiative in the Chicagoland area 34 years ago to help raise funds to support children’s education in our community. We want to thank our customers for their continued support in joining our efforts each year to help local families offset educational expenses such as the cost of tuition, technology and other school essentials. Our employees enjoy the opportunity to volunteer with the teachers and help the children throughout the school year including on Read Across America Day,” HMC Hospitality Group Chief Marketing Officer Denise Williams said.
“In the small town of Waverly, Iowa, in the 1960s, my friends attending the teen activities at Luther League every Sunday night included the future founder of Hooters, Ed Droste. Many years later, I called him to see if he would help our little school in the heart of the Chicago Cabrini Green housing projects, where we yearned for a better education for the children,” said Dr. Susan Infelt Work, CEO Emeritus of Holy Family School. “Ed said yes, and the Hooters’ tradition of caring and sharing was launched.”
HMC Hospitality Group, founders of the Original Hooters concept, own and operate over 75 Hooters locations in Florida (Tampa Bay, Central Florida, and Jacksonville to Palm Bay), Chicagoland, Texas, Northern Indiana and Georgia and two Hoots locations in Chicagoland. For over 40 years, the Original Hooters group has been known for its World Famous Chicken Wings, electric atmosphere, and legendary service from its proud and iconic Hooters Girls. As Hooters undergoes a strategic transformation, the brand is returning to the core principles that defined its early success: neighborhood hospitality, fresh and craveable food, and a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Original Hooters, along with their partners from Hoot Owl Restaurants LLC, will now operate the majority of domestic locations across the United States. For more information about Hooters, visit originalhooters.com or follow them at Instagram @originalhooters and Facebook, facebook.com/originalhooters.
To learn more about Holy Family and how you can help, contact Cynthia Schmidt at cschmidt@hfm.org and/or link their Facebook page, facebook.com/HolyFamilyChi.