John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s Pizza, announced Friday that the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation will be contributing $1,000,000 towards the survival of small businesses in America.
Contributions from the foundation will be used to help businesses survive the coronavirus stay at home orders that have shuttered millions of companies across America, and as state economies begin to re-open in the coming weeks.
The funds will be contributed from Schnatter’s private foundation and distributed as charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations focused on economic recovery for small businesses and workers, as well as through aid that the foundation will provide to some small business owners directly. Schnatter, the iconic founder of Papa John’s Pizza who built the 5,400-store business in 1984 from the broom closet in the back of his dad’s tavern, has begun offering survival tips to small businesses through commentary in recent media interviews and social media posts.
Schnatter is also launching a new webpage that offers custom merchandise – made in the USA – in exchange for contributions to his charity. The products include personal face masks, bandanas, t-shirts, hats, and mugs. All net proceeds from these sales will be matched by Mr. Schnatter and contributed to charities focused on small business survival and workers.
“I’m pleased to announce that I’m donating $1,000,000 from my private foundation to help small businesses survive right now,” said Papa John Schnatter. “Times have never been harder for so many business owners, and I understand what it takes to come back from tough financial times. As economies begin to re-open over the next month, I’m privileged to play a small part in the recovery of small businesses as they struggle to survive and return to normal. As a nation, we’re all in this together. Now it’s time to get small businesses and workers in America back on their feet so we can be better than ever as one nation,” he added.
WEBSITE: thepapajohnschnatter.com
MERCHANDISE: givebackwithpapa.com
