ROCKFORD, IL — Following a rough week for Beef-A-Roo in which it re-opened its Rockford-area stores after being forced to shut down for a day, the company is launching a “Beef-A-Roo Loves Rockford” campaign and promising donations to area schools.
As part of the campaign, the company says it is turning its focus back to its roots in the Rockford area, its hometown where Beef-A-Roo got its start. It is also planning donations of $1,000 each to Rockford Public Schools and the Harlem School District.
“As we grow, Rockford remains the heart of everything we do,” said Jeremy Wise, vice president of Beef-a-Roo in a news release. “This campaign is our way of saying thank you — to the families, schools, and neighborhoods that have made Beef-a-Roo what it is today. We want to continue being a brand the community knows, trusts, and loves.”
Expiration of the company’s Illinois business registration forced it to close its Rockford area stores April 27 amid accusations that it had stiffed Harlem School District schools of fundraising cash. Five schools and two sports teams from Harlem said checks bounced or funds went unpaid from Beef-A-Roo fundraisers.
Wise promised the company is making good on those payments. And the stores re-opened April 28 after resolving issues with the Illinois Department of Revenue.
The new campaign is designed to reconnect, give back, and “bring renewed energy to the market that started it all,” Wise said in the release. The company has established 17 locations outside Rockford and is planning 10 more, including a new store in Gurnee this summer.
“We’re growing, but we’re growing with purpose,” Wise said in the release. “Every new location carries a piece of Rockford with it — the values, the hospitality and the community spirit that define who we are. Our goal is to take that same hometown feel and share it with even more communities.”
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Beef-A-Roo launches Rockford campaign after fundraising fumble
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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