World Wide Wings Partners With Crayon Collection to Boost Arts Programming in Schools
Four World Wide Wings locations in southern California have partnered with a Los Angeles-based nonprofit to turn their restaurant’s trash into treasure for area school kids.
The Crayon Collection, founded in 2011, teams up with restaurants and hotels that distribute free crayons to children when they dine and reallocates them to schools and classrooms in need. Through the National Head Start Association and USA.org, the Crayon Collection has been able to provide millions of crayons to roughly 1,000 schools across the country.
This not only keeps the crayons out of landfills, but also supplements arts programming in schools where such programs may get cut due to underfunding.
The Crayon Collection aims to keep gently used crayons out of landfills and provide them to schools in need, along with arts programming.
“It’s a great program, and it is very easy for us to be able to contribute to a great cause,” said Holly Riggsby, area general manager for the Chino Hills location. “The employees react well to the program. Some have even brought in extra crayons from home and other jobs they have.”
Managers at the participating locations note that they collect anywhere from 20 to 50 crayons a day and that the process is fairly effortless. Participating B-Dubs® locations set up a box in the restaurant where employees put gently used crayons as they bus tables. A representative from the Crayon Collection then drops by every few months to empty out the donation box.
In addition to providing materials to schools, the Crayon Collection also teams up with local artists to create and provide teachers with lesson plans and instructional resources. Artists such as Kenny Scharf and Annie Lapin rotate out on a monthly basis coming up with a curriculum that implements the crayons and goes beyond simply coloring.
“It’s a great feeling to have our company take part in charitable aspects,” said Riggsby. “We definitely have the platform that can bring recognition to other charitable organizations.”
Buffalo Wild Wings® began partnering with the Crayon Collection when a representative from the nonprofit approached the West Covina location roughly three years ago. Management at that restaurant then reached out to other area B-Dubs. The Brea, Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga locations began participating last year.