A national fast-food franchise is opening its doors to the community and wallets to J.E.B. Stuart High School with a fundraiser this Thursday.
Chipotle's new location in Seven Corners will be holding a pre-opening fundraiser for Stuart from 5 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30. During those hours, patrons can swing by and make a $5 donation at the door in exchange for a gourmet burrito or order of tacos, a bol or a salad, tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole and a drink. All of the money raised will go directly to Stuart's student activities fund.
The charitable partnership was initiated by Chipotle, a popular and well-know Mexican style chain formerly owned by McDonald's Corporation, as a way to expose its new location to the community.
“We always try to do a fundraiser because we want to be part of the community,” Chipotle spokesperson Katherine Newell Smith said. She added that the partnership with Stuart is far from exclusive.
“We're very open to talking to all organizations in Falls Church about ways to support them. We give a lot of food away. We're very philanthropic because it's very important to us to be a part of the community.”
As far as Stuart High School is concerned, they're just happy to be part of the promotion.
“I know at times restaurants have had 'J.E.B. Stuart Night,' and they'll give 20-percent of the proceeds to the school, but nothing like this,” Stuart Director of Student Activities E.W. Nowland III said. He added that he hasn't let himself think about any kind of projected revenue from the night. “In all honesty, I think it would be great if 500 people showed up, but we've been promoting this all throughout our pyramid. The high school, the middle schools, elementary schools. We've posted it on our website. We're really hoping that everyone will come out for this, and all are definitely welcome.”
Nowland said that he has no specific plans for how they'll spend the funds, but that it will certainly go to the school's athletic department.
“Our philosophy is simple,” Nowland said. “We want to provide everything our coaches and players need.”
Currently, Nowland said the school is in the process of ordering new uniforms for the boys and girls basketball teams, but that isn't necessarily how the money will be spent.
After the Stuart High promotion on Thursday evening, the Seven Corners Chipotle location — 6229 Arlington Blvd. — will open officially on Friday, Aug. 31.
