The police department of West Fargo, North Dakota, has just received a $27,114 grant for the purchase of helmets and ballistic vests. This gear will be kept in police vehicles for use in the event of a of high-risk incident, and the grant to buy it comes courtesy of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
Sandwich franchise business brand Firehouse Subs launched the foundation in 2005 after the events of Hurricane Katrina. The nonprofit gives grants to local first responders for the purchase of life-saving equipment, and it also provides funding for prevention education and other areas of emergency service. Since it started, the PSF has awarded more than $20 million dollars to over 1,400 organizations. Money is raised through events, donations taken in at locations, and the sales of picket buckets at franchises across the nation.
West Fargo Firehouse Subs Franchisee Cathie Thompson, who owns the location with Dave Kent, Marguerite Kent, and Dale Thompson, said she was thrilled the foundation gave back to the local community. Thompson added that when she was researching franchises, she was immediately impressed with the sandwich brand.
Mike Reitan, the West Fargo Police Chief, said the new gear would give officers an extra protection layer. Programs like the PSF, Reitan believes, are invaluable to first responding agencies that need funding to buy needed equipment.
Currently, the sandwich chain has franchise opportunities available in markets such as Connecticut, Delaware, Maine and Massachusetts. The franchise fee for one of these franchise opportunities is $20,000 per unit, with the total initial investment ranging from $131,150 to $928,405.
