Hooters Girls are asking the nation to #GiveAHoot in the fight against breast cancer during Hooters month-long October fundraising campaign in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With close to 25,000 Hooters Girls around the globe and a workforce made up of 70 percent women, Hooters is committed to raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
Every Hooters location across the U.S. will support the #GiveAHoot campaign during October through several fundraising programs that invite guests to:
- Add their name to a PERSONALIZED ENDOWMENT CARD to hang up in the restaurant or take home
- Buy SPECIALTY PINK MERCHANDISE online and at participating Hooters restaurants
- Enjoy one of several PINK DRINKS created to raise awareness and funds
- PINK UP their check when you visit Hooters. Add a cash or credit card donation to their check, or visit Hooters.com/Give to donate online
- SPREAD THE WORD through social channels, use the hashtag #GiveAHoot to share photos and messages of support
Give A Hoot fundraising benefits the V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading cancer research funding organizations, as well as other local beneficiaries through the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund. Part of the Hooters Community Endowment Fund (HOO.C.E.F.), the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund was established in honor of the late Kelly Jo Dowd, an original Hooters Girl and the 1995 Hooters Calendar Cover Girl. Always an inspiration to her fellow Hooters Girls, Kelly Jo valiantly battled breast cancer for five years before succumbing on May 24, 2007. Throughout her struggle she was courageous and selfless, becoming an advocate for early detection, education and fundraising. Her influence on Hooters culture of service remains as strong as ever.
Through its fundraising platforms, Hooters has raised more than $6.5 million over the years – with $709,000 raised in 2019 alone – to support breast cancer research, much of it through the grant in Kelly Jo’s name to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. These grants honor Kelly Jo and further her mission to educate all women, especially her extended family consisting of some 300,000 current and former Hooters Girls, about the importance of early detection and prevention.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $250 million in cancer research grants nationwide. Event proceeds benefit cancer research funded by the V Foundation. The Foundation awards peer-reviewed grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on the V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit v.org.
For more information about the Hooters #GiveAHoot fundraising campaign, visit Hooters.com/Give. To find the nearest Hooters location to make a donation or attend a fundraising event, visit Hooters.com.