Overland Park, Kan. – KBP Brands, a leading national franchise of KFC, Taco Bell and Arby’s across the country, raised and donated $3.1 million in 2022 to invest in its employees and the communities it serves nationwide.
KBP Brands employs approximately 20,000 people at its more than 1,000 owned-and-operated quick-service restaurant locations in 31 states. The company uses its unique footprint across the country to support local employee-led charities, dividing its philanthropic donations into four categories:
1. Community-based charitable donations in its store regions
2. Corporate donation initiatives
3. KBP caresand the employee assistance program supported by KBP Brands and its employees
4. Employee Continuing Education Scholarship Program
KBP’s Regional Charity Program uses restaurant-wide programs to raise funds for select charitable partners across the country. Since the program’s inception more than a decade ago, the company has donated more than $12 million to charities nationwide.
President and CEO of KBP Brands Michael Kulp says the company is proud to support local charities with personal meaning to their employees.
“We believe that when people come together to form strong, united communities, we can change lives,” said Michael Kulp. “This program was originally led by Matt Hansen, COO of KBP Brands. Now in its 10th year, this initiative to give back to the local communities we serve offers our employees the opportunity to make a big impact by supporting charities making a difference in their gardens.”
In 2022, KBP Brands donated to several Kansas City area charities (where its corporate headquarters are located) in support of children, housing and hunger relief efforts in the city, including the Kansas City Health System ‘University of Kansas, Down Syndrome Innovations, the Parade of Hearts and its grantees, Brandon’s Hope, Sleepyhead Beds, Adopt a Family, Arts KC and Children’s Mercy.
Dr. Jason DrummondDown Syndrome Innovations CEO says partnering with KBP Brands over the past 18 years has been integral to the nonprofit growth of its services to Kansas City families.
“KBP’s generosity and commitment to our mission has allowed us to dream big about how we can serve our families,” Drummond said. “Their support, ongoing volunteer work, and event fundraising have helped us expand our services to all ages in a newly renovated, state-of-the-art building designed with our new services and the future of our community in mind. Without KBP by our side, none of this would have been possible.”
Because philanthropy and community advocacy are so integral to the mission and founding purpose of KBP Brands, in 2015 the company established KBP Cares, an independent non-profit organization designed to support KBP employees in times of critical hardship through nationwide financial grants. , the program has awarded more than $3.1 million to KBP Brands employees.
KBP Cares President Stephanie Kulp says internal charity is central to the company’s mission:
“Our people are our family and our reason why. When an accident, illness or life-changing event strikes, we want to be there for our employees when it is needed most to show our support,” said Stephanie Kulp. “KBP Cares is our way of advocating for them and We’ll always be here to help out.”
Building on a record-breaking year of charitable giving in 2022, KBP Brands aims to nearly double its giving in 2023 to $6 million and has a goal of $25 million in charitable giving by 2025. Among its initiatives, The company plans to place a strong focus on its annual employee scholarship program. Last year the program raised and distributed $450,000, which it expects to grow to $3 million under new direction from Executive Vice President Mark Everett before the end of the year.
“Education is a barrier that makes many jobs and opportunities unattainable,” said Michael Kulp. “As part of our mission to help our employees grow personally, professionally and financially, we want to help them complete their education or take the next step in furthering their careers.”
KBP Cares was named Corporate Champion by Ingram’s Magazine, Champion of Business by Kansas City Business Journal, and received the Life Saver Award from Our Military Kids, a non-profit organization that provides extracurricular activity grants to deployed National Guard children , Reserve deployed, or post 9/11 combat injured service members who build a child’s self-confidence, improve family well-being, and reinforce a shared sense of community.
Over the past eight years, KBP Brands’ growth and business excellence have consistently landed it on lists of top growth companies, from Nation’s Restaurant News, Franchise Times and Multi-Unit Franchise Magazine to Kansas City Business Journal and Ingram’s Magazine .
About KBP Trademarks
KBP Brands is one of the largest and fastest growing franchise organizations in the nation, representing 1,000 YUM! Brands and Inspired Brands restaurants in 31 states. Learn more at kbpbrands.com.
