Make-A-Wish^® New Jersey

Jersey Mike’s Subs Raises $1 Million for Make-A-Wish® New Jersey During 2021 March Month of Giving

100 Wishes for Local Children with Critical Illnesses To Be Granted With Funds Raised

Monroe Township, NJ – Jersey Mike’s Subs and customers across the country rallied to raise an incredible $15 million to help more than 200 charities nationwide during the company’s 11^th Annual Month of Giving in March. In New Jersey, $1 Million was raised for Make-A-Wish New Jersey, which will create life-changing wishes for local children with critical illnesses in the weeks and months ahead.

Here in the Garden State, throughout the month of March, customers were encouraged to make donations to Make-A-Wish New Jersey through the Jersey Mike’s mobile app or onsite at each participating location. The campaign culminated with Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” on Wednesday, March 31, when over 90 local Jersey Mike’s locations donated 100 percent of the day’s sales – not just profit – to Make-A-Wish New Jersey.

These fundraising totals are double the amount raised in 2019 when the company donated $7.3 million to local charities, and $458,000 to Make-A-Wish New Jersey. The results are even more meaningful this year as the Day of Giving celebrations were cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

Wish families, volunteers, board members, staff, friends of Make-A-Wish, and of course loyal Jersey Mike’s customers were out in full force to support the Day of Giving last Wednesday, buying subs for family, friends, local community groups and entire companies, and making additional donations at the register and on the Jersey Mike’s app to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The astounding contribution of $1 Million from Jersey Mike’s Subs will grant the wishes of 100 children in New Jersey battling critical illnesses.

Ten additional Make-A-Wish chapters and international affiliates were the beneficiaries of funds during the campaign in their own regions this year - as west as Idaho and Utah, Canada to the north, New Mexico to the south and along the northeastern seaboard including New Jersey – representing nearly 175 Jersey Mike’s locations in total. A cumulative $1.7 Million will be donated to Make-A-Wish chapters and affiliates in the United States and Canada this year.

“When last month began, we were grateful to our dear friends at Jersey Mike’s, and their loyal customers and fanbase, to learn of their excitement for, and commitment to, the Month of Giving,” shared Tom Weatherall, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish New Jersey. “But now, to see these astounding results, particularly after the challenging and difficult year we’ve all just experienced, is nothing short of inspirational. You’ve always had our gratitude, and our humility, for choosing us as your charity of choice these last five Months of and Days of Giving, now you have our awe!! On behalf of our board and staff, thank you to all who participated. To Peter Cancro, and all our friends at Jersey Mike’s Subs, this tremendous support puts the wind in our sails, and will be transformed into one hundred life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses throughout New Jersey, bringing hope, strength and joy into their lives when it is needed most. Now let us show you, yet again, what we do with these precious funds, and continue to earn your pride and confidence in choosing us each year.”

“We really hoped to do well this year after the disappointment of having to cancel last year’s Day of Giving, and the outpouring of support from across the country is truly inspiring,” said Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike’s Founder & CEO. “We are filled with gratitude and admiration for our customers, franchise owners, and team members who have helped these charities in such a big way, now, when they need it more than ever.”

Most recently, Jersey Mike’s Subs partnered with Make-A-Wish New Jersey to deliver a surprise wish to an 11-year-old boy named Victor from Metuchen, last Tuesday, on the eve of the Day of Giving. Victor, who just two weeks ago finished his medical treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue, wished for a shopping spree to purchase all sorts of items he’s long desired. Among the items he asked for, one stood out from all the rest – the coveted Xbox Series X. This popular gaming console is in high demand and hard to get – but Make-A-Wish and Jersey Mike’s partnered together to turn Victor’s wish into reality as a complete surprise.

In addition to his brand-new Xbox, Victor also received an additional controller, a wireless gaming headset, new video games, an iPhone 12 Pro Max and case, a gift card to GameStop, and some new pairs of sneakers. Jersey Mike’s of Metuchen, led by Franchisee Chris Rigassio, enhanced his wish experience by gifting Victor a hard drive to expand the storage of his new gaming console, a battery pack to ensure uninterrupted game play, V-Bucks to spend in one of his favorite games Fortnite and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Despite the global pandemic, life-changing wishes continue to be granted daily in New Jersey, across the country and around the world. The impact of a wish and the mission of Make-A-Wish has not wavered, because hope cannot – and will not – be cancelled.

Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $47 million for local charities. Make-A-Wish New Jersey and Jersey Mike’s Subs began their partnership in 2017, and in those five years, Jersey Mike’s has raised over $2.1 Million to make local wishes come true in the Garden State.

Make-A-Wish New Jersey has granted over 11,000 wishes since its inception in 1983. The generous support of corporations like Jersey Mike’s Subs is critical to the organization’s continued success.

For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, visit nj.wish.org.

About Make-A-Wish^® New Jersey

Make-A-Wish New Jersey creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. In the fight against a critical illness, a wish serves as a catalyst for renewed strength and encouragement for every child and family on their journey.  A wish helps kids look past their limitations, families overcome anxiety and entire communities experience joy. Most importantly, wishes can improve a child’s quality of life. We believe a single wish transforms lives. With their national headquarters based in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with approximately 60 chapters serving children in every community in the United States and its territories, and nearly 40 international affiliates serving children on five continents. Make-A-Wish New Jersey was founded in 1983. Serving children in every municipality in the Garden State, Make-A-Wish New Jersey has granted over 11,000 wishes since its inception. For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, call 800-252-WISH, visit nj.wish.org, or follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/wishnj), Twitter (twitter.com/wishnj), Instagram (instagram.com/makeawishnj) and LinkedIn (Make-A-Wish New Jersey), and discover how you can help transform lives, one wish at a time.

About Jersey Mike’s Subs
Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,500 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflected in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes), and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes.com). Join the conversation at #JerseyMikesGives.

Contact:
Michael Dominick, Make-A-Wish New Jersey
[email protected] / 215-272-5032 (c)

Kyle Potvin, Splash Communications / Jersey Mike’s Subs
[email protected] / 917-838-4500 (c)