Marco’s Pizza Foundation Makes Significant First Donation to Junior Achievement of $317,000

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  • Since Announcing the Collaboration in Q4 2024, the Foundation Celebrates a Landmark Donation to JA
  • Donation Surpasses Halfway Mark of Original $500,000 JA Goal in Just Four Months
  • Franchisees Support Other Local Giveback Initiatives Across Communities Served

TOLEDO, Ohio (April 29, 2025) – The Marco’s Pizza Foundation announces its first donation to Junior Achievement USA (JA), contributing over $317,000 to support local JA chapters nationwide. This milestone follows the brand’s October announcement of its charitable collaboration with JA, setting an ambitious $500,000 fundraising goal—now more than halfway achieved.

The donation will be distributed among local JA chapters, supporting its mission to equip students with essential tools, resources, and hands-on learning experiences in financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship. A portion of the funds will also support Junior Achievement’s Future Bound event, where over 300 students will compete in national programs such as the JA Company of the Year Competition, the Social Innovation Challenge, the Stock Market Challenge, and the JA Titans of Business Competition.

Marco’s Pizza franchisees and their communities played a pivotal role in this initiative, raising funds through customer round-ups and voluntary $1, $3, and $5 donations made during menu purchases*.

“Marco’s Pizza believes in the power of education and entrepreneurship to shape the future,” said Stephanie Moseley, President of the Marco’s Pizza Foundation and Multi-Unit Franchisee. “Seeing franchisees and customers rally behind this cause reaffirms Marco’s commitment to making a real difference in the communities it serves.”

Marco’s Franchisees Leading the Charge in Local Communities

Marco’s Pizza franchisees are deeply committed to giving back, with local philanthropic efforts extending far beyond national initiatives like JA. Notable efforts include:

  • California Wildfire Relief: Franchisees Arshil Moore and Shawn Saee spearheaded efforts to provide product donations to families and first responders impacted by the California wildfires. Additionally, the Marco’s Pizza Foundation collaborated with the Southern California Chapter of Junior Achievement to donate funds to the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation, providing $5,000 to help rebuild schools in the affected area.
  • Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina: Marco’s Pizza provided meals for students participating in the JA Lowcountry Stock Market Challenge, ensuring they had the sustenance needed to focus and succeed. This support helped the winning team earn a spot at JA Future Bound in Atlanta, where they will compete against top students from across the country.
  • Houston’s Backpack Buddies Initiative: IFA Franchisee of the Year, Robert Pina, and his stores partnered with local organizations to support Backpack Buddies, a program that provides meals to children in need. Through QR code donations and hands-on efforts, his stores exceeded their $50,000 fundraising goal in support of this cause.
  • Orlando’s Market-Wide Fundraiser for AdventHealth for Children: Orlando-area franchisees united for a nine-month fundraising effort, donating $1 for every XL1T pizza sold to AdventHealth for Children’s Cancer Center. A total of $31,714.29 was raised across 31 participating locations.

A Commitment to Nurturing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

The Marco’s Pizza Foundation’s mission is to bring people together to nurture and nourish the communities they call home through four cause pillars – school and education, hunger prevention & nutrition, workforce development, and entrepreneurship. By partnering with Junior Achievement, the Foundation is reinforcing its commitment to inspiring the next generation of business owners. As a franchise-driven brand, Marco’s Pizza has witnessed firsthand how entrepreneurship transforms lives, and the company is dedicated to providing resources that empower young minds with the knowledge and confidence to pursue business ownership.

As Marco’s Pizza expands its philanthropic impact, the brand remains equally committed to fostering a People First, Mission Always culture, recognizing that true community support begins from within. Through its new development program, We’re Golden, Marco’s is equipping franchisees with the tools to cultivate a thriving store culture built on growth, recognition, hospitality, and opportunity at every level. As the brand continues to evolve, creating clear pathways for franchisees to foster their employees’ success and advancement will remain a core focus.

To learn more about the Marco’s Pizza Foundation mission, please visit https://www.marcos.com/foundation/. Or if you are interested in joining the Marco’s team, https://www.marcos.com/join-our-team/.

ABOUT MARCO’S PIZZA FOUNDATION

The Marco’s Pizza Foundation, established in 2022, was inspired by the unwavering dedication of franchisees and their team members to their communities and the shared passion for feeding people. The Foundation believes that pizza is more than just a meal—it’s a force for good that can uplift and support individuals, whether by nourishing bodies or empowering minds. With a strong commitment to giving back, the Foundation plays a pivotal role in making community impact a core priority of the Marco’s Pizza brand, fostering positive change in the neighborhoods it serves.

ABOUT MARCO’S PIZZA 

Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco’s Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco’s was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale (“Pat”) Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 35 states with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Most recently, Marco’s was recognized as America’s Favorite Restaurant in the Limited-Service Pizza category by Nation’s Restaurant News using Technomic Ignite Consumer 2024 dataꝉ. Other recent accolades include ranking No. 48 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2024 “Franchise 500” ranking, earning a coveted spot as the only top 5 pizza chain to rank on Newsweek’s 2025 “America’s Best Customer Service” in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR’s Top 50, and being featured on Nation’s Restaurant News’ prestigious “Top 500” ranking.

*Not available in California

ꝉAccording to Technomic’s 2024 America’s Favorite Restaurants data, Marco’s Pizza secured the top spot in the Limited-Service Pizza category with a 53.4% composite top-box rating, indicating the share of recent guests who gave the brand the highest possible rating for each of the guest experience attributes. Data for America’s Favorite Chains comes from Technomic Ignite Consumer, which collects information about how brands impact consumers and how consumers interact with those brands, via online surveys. See here for more information: www.technomic.com/ignite-consumer.

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