As part of its “Give a Hoot” campaign, South Florida Hooters raised $57,000 for Self-Help International, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living in rural communities.
Seven female Hooters employees engaged in online fundraising efforts to help women in Ghana and Nicaragua start and grow their own businesses.
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Last month, the Hooters employees also traveled to Waverly, Iowa, for the annual Self-Help International Weekend and raised additional funds by way of a golf tournament and bike ride.
“I absolutely loved being a part of the Iowa trip this year,” said Madison Nova, current Hooters employee and 2022 Miss Hooters International. “This was our first Self-Help International in person event since the pandemic and to have raised such a large amount of money is so exciting and ultimately life changing for these families.”
Self-Help International works to support women business owners in low-resource countries by providing low interest micro-loans and alleviating the effects of poverty.
Oftentimes, women in these small communities are not eligible to receive loans through formal banks. Self-Help gives them access to capital so they can start and invest in their businesses.
In tandem with providing micro-loans, Self-Help offers training sessions to help women improve their business practices so they can grow their incomes.
“We are so grateful to South Florida Hooters for joining us in Hooters’ hometown of Waverly, Iowa, to raise funds to empower women and alleviate hunger,” said Nora Tobin, Executive Director of Self-Help International. “The funds raised through the 14th annual Give a Hoot for Self-Help Weekend can provide business training and micro-business loans to 1,000 women entrepreneurs, as well as offer school breakfast to 150 children for a full school year.”
“South Florida Hooters has supported Self-Help International for more than 11 years,” said Kristi Quarles, LTP Management Director of Marketing. “The support began because the late Dave ‘Lags’ Lageschulte, founder of South Florida Hooters, was from the same small town, Waverly, IA, where Self-Help International was founded. Lags and his family supported Self-Help from its inception.”
For more information on Self-Help International’s work, visit selfhelpinternational.org.
