c h i l d r e n ’s p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v i c e s f e at u r e
franchisOR in DEPTH: Kiddie Academy
How Giving Back Has Grown the Kiddie Academy Footprint
Kiddie Academy®, a nationally recognized brand of educational child care centers, has launched a community fund to provide its teachers and staff with grants of up to $1,000 in times of personal hardship or natural disaster.
the Kiddie Academy system in need of immediate financial assistance following an unforeseen circumstance. The fund relies on support from Kiddie Academy Corporate, as well as individual donations made by franchisees, vendors, employees and the public. Kiddie Academy Corporate has seeded the fund and covers all its operating expenses.
It’s just one of the ways the Kiddie Academy system is embracing a purposedriven philosophy as it expands its footprint to 300 Academies across 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Donations to the fund are tax deductible, and grants to Kiddie Academy system teachers and staff are tax-free.
“The Community Fund is a key opportunity to support our Academies’ teachers and staff, who are the foundation of everything we do. It’s character education in action, providing living examples of empathy, generosity and responsibility,” said Maria Dontas, director of corporate social responsibility at the Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC (“Kiddie Academy Corporate”). The Kiddie Academy Community Fund was created to help teachers and staff in 32 Franchising MAGAZINE USA
“The Community Fund is a testament to our passion and our purpose. It’s just one way we show up for one another, across state lines and classroom walls,” Dontas said. In fact, employee support is growing in the ongoing aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies like Kiddie Academy Corporate are responding. The franchisor is continuing to find ways to support Academies across the Kiddie Academy system and to provide resources to franchisees so they can better serve their teams.
According to the Federal Reserve’s most recent Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households, 35% of adults would have a hard time covering an unforeseen expense of $400. With inflation at a 40year high, everyone is feeling the pinch. When brands like Kiddie Academy step in to support teachers and staff in the franchise system, it can make a meaningful difference. “The Kiddie Academy Community Fund helped me and my family through my Covid-19 recovery,” said Christine, a teacher at a Kiddie Academy franchise location in Illinois. “The grant helped me with the hospital bills I received during Covid-19. It’s unfortunate that things turned out this way, but I can truly say ‘I beat Covid!’ I am thankful for my life and so appreciative of Kiddie Academy.” In the past year, enrollment across the Kiddie Academy system has increased
