BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cheeseboy – America’s first quick-service grilled cheese restaurant concept – donated $10,000 to the Greater Boston Food Bank on behalf of their Millionth Grilled Cheese Contest winner. In celebration of selling its millionth grilled cheese sandwich earlier this year, Cheeseboy hosted the contest asking its entrants to describe what they would do to help make a positive impact in the world.
After receiving more than 450 entries, Cheeseboy awarded the grand prize to Melinda Maryniuk, Director of Clinical and Educational Programs at the Joslin Diabetes Center, who wrote about the importance of bringing comfort to men, women and children suffering from food insecurity and a lack of education about proper nutrition. She recommended donating the funds to Feeding America’s Boston chapter, Greater Boston Food Bank. “It’s really hard to describe the joy I feel in donating ten thousand dollars to such an important cause. It’s something I’ve never been able to do before,” she said.
As the Grand Prize winner, Maryniuk will receive free grilled cheese at Cheeseboy for the rest of her life in addition to the donation made in her name. Five semi-finalists, whose entries included causes such as animal welfare, education, and cancer research, also received free grilled cheese for a year.
Catherine D’Amato, CEO of the Greater Boston Food Bank, accepted the $10,000 donation on behalf of her organization. “We are thrilled that Cheeseboy has rooted its mission in helping to serve their communities in such a creative and impactful way. This donation to the Greater Boston Food Bank will help provide over 30,000 meals to those in need and help further our goal of educating others about the importance of balanced nutrition,” she said.
In addition to donating $10,000 to the Greater Boston Food Bank, Cheeseboy has also donated over $45,000 to SeriousFun Children’s Network over the last few years and has engaged in numerous philanthropic programs since opening its first restaurant in 2009. “Helping to drive awareness and funding for organizations that are helping to improve the communities in which we operate is a core part of our values and principles,” said Michael Inwald, Founder and President of Cheeseboy. “If we truly want to be a comfort food brand, then we must be committed to providing comfort beyond just the four walls of our restaurants.”
About Cheeseboy
Cheeseboy, America’s first quick-service grilled cheese restaurant concept, has been providing comfort food to customers since its founding in 2009. Cheeseboy prides itself on serving wholesome grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, snacks and other items in a welcoming environment. Committed to excellence in food quality, Cheeseboy uses all-natural breads, high-quality cheeses and fresh meat and vegetable toppings. Since opening its first location, Cheeseboy has committed its philanthropic efforts to benefit Paul Newman’s SeriousFun Children’s Network through grand opening fundraisers, direct donations, its Rewards Card program, and customer donation boxes at every store. Currently, Cheeseboy operates eleven locations across five states in the Northeast. In 2013, Nation’s Restaurant News named Cheeseboy among its top 50 “Breakout Brands” touting the year’s emerging concepts. For more information, please visit www.cheeseboy.com, Facebook www.facebook.com/gocheeseboy or Twitter @gocheeseboy. To learn more about the Cheeseboy journey, visit www.youtube.com/gocheeseboy.
