You already know Willy’s Mexicana Grill is the home of Fresh Mex, with authentic, flavorful recipes featuring the fresh, quality ingredients and homemade appeal you hunger for. However, Willy’s wants to do more than just create the delicious tacos, burritos, and nachos customers expect.
We’re committed to giving back to the community that supports us in ways that are meaningful to every member of our team. This is why we started the CARE program and participate in charitable endeavors that uplift and support those in need.
What Is CARE?
CARE stands for Community Action Reaching Everyone. It’s an internal program created by Willy’s to encourage and support team members in giving back to the community.
This team-driven program partners with charities and helps employees get involved in a variety of ways, primarily through volunteer efforts suited to the organization. Our team kicked off this program by contributing to two very special charities this holiday season: the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB), and Hugs for Soldiers.
Supporting the Atlanta Community Food Bank
With how much we value food, it was fitting to kick off our philanthropic efforts by partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank on their work to eliminate food insecurity.
In collaboration with ACFB, Willy’s hosted a canned food drive at select locations throughout the month of November to collect non-perishable pantry staples for households in need leading up to the holiday season. Members of the community, as well as our own team members, donated items throughout the month and helped us contribute to ACFB’s mission of ending hunger across metro Atlanta and north Georgia.
The ACFB estimates that over 600,000 people will face food insecurity this year in the organization’s small service area alone. However, with every donation they receive, they are able to distribute food to food pantries, missions, community and senior centers, schools, and healthcare facilities. In turn, this increases access to nutritious food for more families in need.
The Willy’s team is proud to have played a role in providing meals for the hungry, and we couldn’t be more pleased by the community interest in participating through food donations. If you want to do more, you can donate, volunteer, or get involved with upcoming ACFB events in the community.
Lifting Spirits with Hugs for Soldiers
For the month of December, the Willy’s team decided to focus on a charity geared toward giving something back to esteemed members of the military who give so much to our country.
Hugs for Soldiers is an organization on a mission to provide encouragement and bring the comforts of home to soldiers deployed overseas through cards and care packages.
Our team members got together to write heartfelt letters to military members, and compile care packages with everyday items and comforts these soldiers might not otherwise have access to following deployment.
Hugs for Soldiers is in its 19th year of delivering care packages to soldiers and is still going strong. If you’re interested in contributing to this wonderful organization, which is completely run by volunteers, you can donate your time, write letters of encouragement to soldiers, or donate items to add to care packages.
At Willy’s Mexicana Grill, we’re so thankful to be part of a caring community, and we love giving back through our CARE program. We wouldn’t be able to do it without our exceptional employees and the community members who joined us in supporting these great charities. With your help, we hope to do more as we move into the new year.