Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) celebrated the grand opening of the Domino's Event Center at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® on Friday, Aug. 7, after committing to raise $35 million in eight years, beginning in 2015.
The Domino's Event Center is a flexible event space on the hospital campus that can be used for hospital fundraising events, patient and family activities, and entertainment.
"St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been part of the Domino's family since 2004 and to date, we've raised more than $25 million to support the hospital's life-saving efforts," said Patrick Doyle, Domino's president and chief executive officer. "Last year we decided to get even more serious with our $35 million, eight-year commitment to the children of St. Jude. The Domino's Event Center is a magnificent facility that will be put to good use raising funds and awareness for St. Jude."
Doyle, joined by Russell Weiner, president, Domino's USA, and other Domino's representatives, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dr. James R. Downing, St. Jude president and chief executive officer, and Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and chief executive officer of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities® (ALSAC), the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. After the ribbon-cutting, patients celebrated in the Domino's Event Center with a pizza-making activity, lunch and a fastest pizza maker demonstration.
"Domino's, its leadership, staff and customers have repeatedly demonstrated their generous and heartfelt commitment to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and we are grateful for their decade-long partnership," said Shadyac. "The Domino's Event Center will stand on campus as a permanent reminder of our partnership, and will serve as a celebratory place for our patient families, partners, donors and supporters."
During last year's St. Jude Thanks and Giving® campaign, Domino's completed a three-year, $10 million commitment made to the hospital in 2012 – one year early. The first commitment helped fund the St. Jude Assessment and Triage Clinic Delivered by Domino's.
The St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign, created in 2004 by Marlo Thomas and her siblings, Terre and Tony, children of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas, asks people to "give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not" in order to help St. Jude continue its mission of finding cures and saving children. St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
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