Although charitable causes may not be at the forefront of every business owners’ mind, they have always been a priority for Brandi and John Sevieri.

Smoothie King franchisees of eight years with three Smoothie King locations to their credit, the Sevieris have used their businesses to give back to the community each year. Expanding their community outreach and philanthropic work is a continuous goal for them.

“We always try to give back in our personal life,” said Brandi. “And so that was definitely something we wanted to incorporate into our business as well. It has always been extremely important to us, and we appreciate that we’ve been able to use our business to give back too.”

An Organization Whose Mission Hits Home

Brandi and John have been involved in many different charities throughout the years – from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A therapy and nursing center called Special Kids is at the heart of much of Brandi and John’s philanthropic work.

Special Kids is located in the Sevieris’ hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and center offers many life-changing services to children with disabilities. Special Kids provides everything from physical, occupational, speech, feeding and group therapy to day camp, nursing services and family resources.

“The work Special Kids does is incredibly moving,” said Brandi. “We are honored and humbled to help them in any way we can, because they are just such a wonderful organization.”

Giving Back with a Purpose as Smoothie King Franchisees

Over the years, the Sevieris have donated thousands of dollars and thousands of smoothies to this worthy cause. One year, they were corporate sponsors for Special Kids’ charity 5K, 10K and Half Marathon race. They also sponsored any of their team members who wanted to participate in the race. Brandi and John also hand out smoothie samples to the runners every year and regularly bring smoothies to the children at Special Kids throughout the year.

“The first year we worked with Special Kids, we were really touched by the thousands and thousands of people that came out to support the cause,” said Brandi. “We wanted to do more, and our hearts are with Special Kids, so I know we’ll continue doing several events with them each year.”

The Sevieris also host in-store donation events every year at each of their three locations. Whenever someone buys a smoothie, the Sevieris donate a portion of the proceeds back to Special Kids during the fundraising drives.

“We really like how community outreach is a priority for Smoothie King, too,” said John. “You definitely need to be proactive and find your own charitable opportunities, but Smoothie King has always been supportive of that.”

John and Brandi say some of the most rewarding experiences of their business have been their community outreach events and initiatives, and they don’t plan to slow down anytime soon.

Are you looking for a way to invest in a business that makes a meaningful impact? To learn more about becoming a Smoothie King franchisee and getting involved in the community, download our Franchise Kit.