Motivated by the example of a firefighter father, always ready to serve others, the founders of a successful food business decided to dedicate a large part of their profits to carrying out programs for the social prevention of disasters.
The Firehouse Subs chain is an expert in putting out fires. As a specialist in gourmet-quality fast food, it is, in the United States, an expert in quelling the voracious hunger of its customers with an array of supreme sandwiches. But this chain is also a remarkable example to follow in the field of philanthropy.
Founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina by two firefighter brothers, the spirit of their mentors’ profession is reflected in every corner of their restaurants—designed to resemble a fire station—as well as in every item on the menu. Yet the most notable aspect of its story is that this renowned restaurant chain also strives to extinguish other lethal flames consuming many lives across the United States: the lack of resources, training, and adequate equipment when it comes to saving lives.
The flow of donations that the chain has poured into society has been channeled through the initiatives and programs developed by the foundation it created for that very purpose, bearing the same name: the Firehouse Subs Foundation. To date, it is estimated that the foundation has provided various social programs, training, and specific initiatives, with an impressive total estimated at around 70 million dollars.
Donating to Build Strategies to Put Out Social Emergencies
As children, brothers Robin and Chris watched their father, firefighter Rob Sorensen, leave home to rush to the aid of neighbors whenever the siren of the nearby firehouse sounded. When they reached adulthood and had to choose a career path, the brothers decided to follow in the footsteps of the man they so admired and soon enlisted in the ranks as firefighters. Some years later, however, they decided to reshuffle the deck and take a new direction, leaving the station behind. This would give them more time to dedicate themselves fully to a new challenge: embarking on a venture in the food industry.
Owning their own fast-food restaurant became the new dream the young men set out to achieve. But the experience they had gained at the Jacksonville, Florida Fire Department marked them for life. There, their commitment to community well-being became second nature, a non-negotiable value. For that reason, they chose to recreate in their fast-food restaurant the fire station they so loved and to bring into everyday dining the values and spirit of the firefighter’s calling. Thus, in 1994, in the city of Jacksonville, the Sorensen brothers opened their first restaurant, designed like a fire station, with a menu whose names evoked the dynamics of fighting fires.
At the same time, during their time at the station, the Sorensen brothers had seen firsthand how many deficiencies and shortages communities faced in dealing with daily emergencies. Therefore, the commitment to making donations to institutions dedicated to first response in disasters, as well as to those aimed at ensuring public safety, became their top priority. Since then, these two complementary and transversal axes have formed the backbone of the philanthropic program carried out by the Firehouse Subs chain.
Actions and Programs Carried Out by the Firehouse Subs Foundation
Among the most notable actions currently undertaken by the foundation, the bulk of donations are distributed as follows:
- Equipment for first responders. This includes the purchase of proper life-saving equipment, such as specialized tools for extracting people trapped in vehicles, the acquisition of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and the purchase of bulletproof vests for situations where responders must assist the injured in riots or dangerous urban areas.
- Providing community training sessions. In schools, municipalities, and at specific events, essential training sessions are offered with a focus on prevention. This involves allocating funds to cover the costs of various educational resources delivered to adults and young people in communities. A key resource to prevent accidents at home, in neighborhoods, and in community life in general. For example, this may include open training cycles on topics such as CPR, the use of fire extinguishers, and the prevention of common accidents.
- Donations to support scholarship programs and financial assistance for those who choose to pursue studies related to public safety.
- Donations to aid those affected by crises caused by natural or man-made disasters.
- Donations to support specific training programs aimed at members of the military.
