Jersey Mike’s Subs to hold annual Day of Giving

It is an annual tradition for Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants and its loyal customers — the fast casual brand’s Month of Giving and Day of Giving.

Each year during the month of March, Jersey Mike’s locations across the country identify a local charity to support, and raise money in the stores in support of the charity of choice.

This month, customers have had the option of rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar, or donating $1, $3 or $5 when placing their order — supporting more than 200 different charities across the country.

The Day of Giving is a little bit different and is the culmination of the Month of Giving. That is the day Jersey Mike’s locations — including 26 in the greater Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre areas — donate 100% of their sales for the day to charity.

Wednesday, March 27, is this year’s Day of Giving, when local Jersey Mike’s owners and operators will donate their resources and every dollar that day — not just profit — whether in-store, online or through the app.

This is the 14th year Jersey Mike’s has held the Month of Giving to support local charities. The stores in the greater Philadelphia region have been raising money for Where Angels Play, an organization that builds playgrounds and names them in remembrance of family members who tragically or suddenly pass away.

This is the first time the Jersey Mike’s stores have worked with Where Angels Play.

Gerrit Curran is a franchise owner of 21 Jersey Mike’s locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey — including the Berks County locations in Spring and Muhlenberg townships. He said the store operators on the region saw an opportunity to band together to raise the funds to get the playground built.

“Seeing how cathartic it can be for a parent who has lost a child to have a park donated in the child’s name and go there and see all these kids having fun on that playground. It in a way blew my mind now that I have kids in my life, and its impact is just immense. It moves me beyond belief,” Curran said in an interview.

The funds that are raised this month for Where Angels Play will help build a playground in Bucks County — to continue the legacy of a 4-year old boy who lost his battle with cancer. It will reflect his personality, favorite sports, colors and drawings.

And when it comes time to build the playground, employees from Curran’s stores plan to help with the project.

“To see it from making a sandwich to building a playground and watching kids play on it is just something we all want to be a part of,” he said.

Proceeds from the Month and Day of Giving will also go toward a burn survivor camp for children where children with serious burns can interact with others like them and simply be kids, according to Jersey Mike’s.

Curran said he is expecting this year’s Day of Giving to be a very long and exciting day.

“The turnout is always unbelievable and is our busiest day of the year. I think that speaks to how connected people are to the process and the charity,” he said.

This March, Jersey Mike’s hopes to exceed last year’s record-breaking national fundraising total of $21 million and help local charities striving to fulfill their missions.

Of the proceeds raised nationwide in 2023 — the Pennsylvania Jersey Mike’s stores raised more than $897,000 for 11 charities. The 23 Philadelphia area stores last year raised more than $250,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer.

Since Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving began in 2011, the effort has raised more than $88 million for local charities.

Across the region, Jersey Mike’s has locations in Hatfield, Kennett Square, Blue Bell, West Chester, Phoenixville, Horsham, Radnor, Spring Township and Muhlenberg Township, joining forces with several additional Pennsylvania and New Jersey-area stores.

The Where Angels Play Foundation was formed in late 2012, following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut just two months later.

Playgrounds have been built in 12 states, as well as Puerto Rico, Canada and Rwanda.