Additional Involvement

Extreme Home Makeover

Gold Star Chili, The Flavor of Cincinnati and Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition – a winning combination for everyone involved.

On July 16, 2008, Gold Star Chili staff welcomed the hard-working crew and volunteers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in West Chester, Ohio, with a Cincinnati favorite – Gold Star Chili Cheese Coneys. During the seven-day construction to renovate the Akers Family home, Gold Star Chili donated more than 125 meals to provide a delicious taste of Cincinnati to the men and women dedicating their time and efforts to provide a local family with a new, improved home for the couple and their children.

Five Cares Coat Drive

Each year, Gold Star Chili partners with WLWT-TV, Channel 5, as a sponsor and collection point for the annual Five Cares Coat Drive program. In the months before the holiday season, all Gold Star Chili restaurants in the Greater Cincinnati area serve as collection points for the donation of new or gently used coats that are then distributed to people in need. In 2008, Gold Star Chili collected nearly 4,000 coats through its participation in this program.

Matthew 25 Ministries

Over the 2008 holidays, Gold Star Chili challenged its employees to get into the holiday spirit by giving back to those in need. At Gold Star Chili’s corporate headquarters, employees in each division were given the task of collecting the most canned goods for Matthew 25 Ministries, an international humanitarian relief organization headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Each department was given at least one 4' x 3' barrel to collect donated canned goods. Gold Star Chili employees were encouraged to get creative and have fun with this charitable opportunity. The resulting effort – Gold Star Chili collected 11 full barrels of cans for Matthew 25 Ministries.

Shriners Hospitals for Children

When Gold Star Chili’s new Chilimobile made its first public appearance – at Paul Brown Stadium during the 2008 Bengals home game versus the Philadelphia Eagles – it was able to collect nearly $1,000 in cash donations from Bengals fans for the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Cincinnati.

Winton Place Youth Center

As part of the Fall 2008 grand opening ceremonies for the new Gold Star Chili Mitchell Avenue location, the company presented a check to Lanita Hanekamp, Executive Director of Winton Place Youth Center and Spring Grove Village Council Member. The donation benefitted the local Youth Center’s efforts to provide a caring and safe atmosphere for youth in the Cincinnati Winton Place neighborhood.