Hot off the press comes this list of tremendous things that The Egg & I does for the community via their Marketing Manager, Jonathan Heida. This Papillion restaurant  serves more than food. It serves the community.

“How our restaurants are involved in the community

–Food Bank For The Heartland
The Egg & I has been able to provide generous contributions to the Food Bank by donating 100% of the proceeds from our soft openings. We provide invited guests with a complimentary breakfast or lunch and all we ask for is a voluntary donation for the Food Bank. We also have had our servers donate their tips from the soft opening. When our 2 Sarpy county locations locations opened this year we raised $6,400 for the Food Bank. We also have taken donations of non-perishable food items. Our total contribution from 5 Omaha locations opening has been $14,150 and approximately 1,300 pounds of food.
–Lincoln Food Bank
Through a brief campaign, our two Lincoln locations were able to raise $300 through open donations from our guests as well as non-perishable food items.
–Partnership 4 Kids
Partnership 4 Kids is working to turn what is often referred to as Omaha’s cycle of poverty and failure into one of achievement and prosperity. By giving kids educational goals, and building excitement to learn and grow Partnership 4 Kids is now working with more than 5000 Omaha kids in 22 Omaha Public Schools. The Egg & I is providing a grand prize for some of the top students in these schools, bicycles and helmets. We have provided 10 bikes to be given away to children, some of whom have never seen a bike. This ultimate prize for academic success is a powerful tool and life changing reward for poverty stricken children.
We also provided sack lunches for a group of students to take to a college tour of Wayne State.
–Project Search
Our newest location opening in Papillion has partnered with Project Search to help provide special needs students the job skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. The program requires the students to participate in an internship where they will get an opportunity to practice the communication skills, teamwork and work ethic in an actual job environment. We are currently providing this experience for several students.
Upon completing their internship The Egg & I has hired Project Search alumni.
–Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry
Through a week long campaign, The Egg & I across Nebraska donated $.10 from every cup of coffee purchased to support the No Kid Hungry campaign through Share Our Strength. The seven restaurants that were open at the time raised a combined $1600 to help fight child hunger.
–St Jude’s Children Hospital
In September The Egg & I Provided lunch for the St Jude’s golf tournament fundraising event. We provided a sack lunch for than 150 participants. The proceeds from the tournament exceeded $35,000.
–KLOV Radio
The owners of The Egg & I are strongly motivated by their faith and as such have a passion for helping church based organizations. KLOV radio is a nation wide Christian radio station that is only able to operate with support from its listeners through an annual telethon. The Egg & I donated $1,200 during the 2013 telethon.
–Operation Write Home
The Omaha community is very military friendly. As a result, we decided to organize letters to be sent to our overseas troops. Between our staff and guests we sent more than 250 letters to help say “thank you” to our service men and women risking their lives.
–Student Achievement Awards
Each location is given a number of student achievement awards to give to community partners that work with children. Each award is good for one free kids meal at The Egg & I. The schools, day cares and churches that we partner with give the achievement awards to kids who have demonstrated exceptional attitudes and/or achievements.
–Local donations
All of our locations are constantly searching for new opportunities to give back to our communities. Churches, schools, non-profits, businesses and families all look to us to help provide fundraising assistance. Typically our general managers are able to put together a gift basket that will be raffled or auctioned off. We have also partnered with local businesses to donate a portion of our daily sales as part of their community initiatives.
–Nebraska Children’s Home Society
The Egg & I is currently helping fundraise for the Nebraska Children’s Home Society from Black Friday through Christmas. NCHS has provided paper “Little Red Stockings” for guests and associates to write their names on and then to display throughout the restaurant when they make a donation. We hope to make a substantial contribution through this partnership to aid the children NCHS provides assistance and hope for. $1,845 was raised through our 2013 campaign.
–Hope Center For Kids
Our partnership with the Hope Center has been by participating in the Lunch and Learn meetings that they organize. This program is designed to help introduce people to the programs and facilities at the Hope Center. We are proud to help support this program by providing lunch several times throughout the year.
2. How is the staff involved?
–Food Bank For The Heartland
Each soft opening requires each member of our staff to give 100% of their efforts as though the restaurant was “live” and open for business. Servers also have been donating their tips from the day. One of our owners presents a giant check to a Food Bank representative live on a morning tv show.
–Lincoln Food Bank
Staff at our locations contribute financially and also provide non-perishable food items. They also inform our guests about our participation and encourage them to contribute also.
–Partnership 4 Kids
At the celebration ceremony where the bikes are given away, a representative from The Egg & I is asked to give a short speech. The participating representatives also get to congratulate students as they walk across the stage to receive awards.
–Project Search
Every staff member is involved with Project Search by helping to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the work place. The Project Search members are fellow host staff, bussers and dishwashers and they interact with every associate.
–Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry
Our staff were actively involved by bringing our guests into the campaign. The associates were introducing our guests to No Kid Hungry and guiding them towards supporting the program by drinking coffee.
–St Jude’s Children Hospital
One of our kitchen managers organized our food contribution. Angel Diaz put together a variety of wraps, chips and fruit for 150 golfers. Our VP of Operations and Marketing Manager were at the event with Angel handing out the meals.
–Student Achievement Awards
Each of our staff members make recommendations to our management teams as to who else we can provide the achievement awards for. Servers, host staff, bussers and kitchen staff are all actively involved in our search for kids who are making great achievements.
–KLOV Radio
Staff were not involved.
–Operation Write Home
Our staff participated in writing the letters. They also worked to encourage guests to participate.
–Local donations
Similar to the achievement awards, every staff member has a connection to a company or organization outside of The Egg & I. Many of our donations to community partners have originated through connections to our staff.
–Nebraska Childrens Home Society
Our staff encouraged guests to participate by donating and then designing/filling out the little red stocking.
–Hope Center For Kids
Our staff is minimally involved in our Hope Center efforts. Typically it is one of our owners who represents us by cooking.”