Jersey Mike’s Good Citizen

Jersey Mike’s is donating all sales on March 29, 2023, to local charities. They should be commended for this.

About five years ago, I posted a blog about selfish neighbors. This post was about branches of regional or national companies that refused to contribute to local businesses and use the excuse: “This is handled by our national office. I will forward your request for support to them.” That is their way of brushing off the local charity. In many cases, the support asked for is an ad in a journal or program that is distributed to attendees at a fundraising event, whether it is a luncheon, dinner, gala, conference, entertainment activity or neighborhood event. It is also an opportunity to show proof of their support to customers.

These organizations maintain facilities that earn revenue from the area and should feel a responsibility to support the local charities. I mean, if they took a half-page ad in every journal they were solicited for, it could not cost more than $4,000 or $5,000. These last thing a business wants is to be looked at as a stingy taker that does not feel any obligation to step up financially in any way for the community. Not only that, but some of these, such as a rehabilitation facility that places signs on parking spaces requesting compassion for patients to save these spaces for their customers. They are self-empowered takers that use compassion as a one-way street that only points to themselves if they don’t also give back.

Jersey Mike’s is an anomaly that gives substantial amounts to the communities they earn their revenue from. They also post in each store the name of the charity they will be contributing to, and also ask customers to make contributions increasing the gifts to the important institutions they support each year.

My suggestion is to go to Jersey Mike’s tomorrow and load up on their great subs, add something to your check for the charity and keep Jersey Mike’s in mind the rest of the year. I also suggest that you align your buying behaviors with businesses that give back to their communities and push businesses who don’t start supporting local charities. Further, maybe print this blog and give it to the managers that have it within their power to write small checks to the local charities but choose not to. It’s a great example of good citizenship that we should all strive for.