After donating over 700 of Cracker Barrel’s iconic rockers last year, Cracker Barrel and Operation Homefront team up again to furnish the front porches of military and veteran families
To hear a podcast with Cracker Barrel’s Sloane Lucas about this program, click here.
LEBANON, Tenn. (June 29, 2017) – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® today announced the return of “Operation Rocker: Cracker Barrel’s Summer Salute to Military Families” in partnership with its flagship nonprofit partner Operation Homefront. To support Operation Homefront’s mission of building strong, stable and secure military families, Cracker Barrel will donate a rocking chair to Operation Homefront for every adult rocker purchased on Cracker Barrel’s website from Independence Day weekend through Labor Day (June 30 to Sept. 4, 2017). The rockers will support Operation Homefront programs including Homes on the Homefront, which places deserving U.S. service members, veterans and their families in mortgage-free homes.
“Building on last year’s success where we were able to donate over 700 rockers to deserving military families, Cracker Barrel is proud to again launch ‘Operation Rocker,’” said Cracker Barrel Chief People Officer Beverly Carmichael. “Partnering with Operation Homefront allows us to not only honor our nation’s heroes, but also to commit to building a better life for military families. During ‘Operation Rocker,’ our guests will express their gratitude for the sacrifices made by America’s service members, veterans and their families by bringing one of Cracker Barrel’s most beloved items to their own front porch.”
In addition to donating rockers for online purchases, Cracker Barrel will also donate 10 percent of proceeds from all in-store adult rocker sales to Operation Homefront during the campaign’s kickoff weekend, June 30 through July 4, 2017.
One of the most enjoyable parts of visiting Cracker Barrel is sitting in the wooden rocking chairs that line the front porch of each store. This summer, Cracker Barrel invites guests to share these iconic rockers with military families to welcome heroes home.
Since its founding shortly after 9/11, Operation Homefront has served tens of thousands of military families across the country. The organization provides valuable programs addressing short-term and long-term stability. Homes on the Homefront, one program that “Operation Rocker” supports, has awarded nearly 600 mortgage-free homes and provided over $48 million in deeded value to our nation’s veterans and their families.
“Our mission to meet the critical needs of our nation’s military families continues thanks to amazing partners like Cracker Barrel,” said Operation Homefront President and Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. (ret) John I. Pray Jr. “We are thrilled that ‘Operation Rocker’ is returning this summer, and deeply grateful for the support of Cracker Barrel’s guests to help us care for those who have done and continue to do so much to protect the freedoms we, as Americans, enjoy daily.”
Cracker Barrel has long supported military-focused programs, including Fisher House, National Military Family Association, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, United Through Reading, the National Museum of the United States Army, and The Legion Fund, among many others. By supporting the families of those serving in the U.S. armed forces, Cracker Barrel believes it can make a deeper, more meaningful and lasting impact.
Last year, Cracker Barrel and the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation together contributed over $430,000 to Operation Homefront through monetary and in-kind donations. This year, to kick off the 2017 partnership, the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to Operation Homefront.
To participate in “Operation Rocker,” click here.
About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBRL) provides a friendly home-away-from-home in its old country stores and restaurants. Guests are cared for like family while relaxing and enjoying real home-style food and shopping that’s surprisingly unique, genuinely fun and reminiscent of America’s country heritage…all at a fair price. Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and its affiliates operate 644 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® company-owned locations in 44 states and own the fast casual restaurants Holler & Dash™. Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2016 Consumer Picks survey named Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® the Best Family-Dining Restaurant in America. For more information about the company, visit crackerbarrel.com.
About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation
The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation is a public benefit corporation created by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in 1993. The Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants to support numerous nonprofits and charitable programs. It also supports an annual Employee Scholarship Program, which recognizes and rewards the accomplishments of Cracker Barrel employees and their children who excel in their studies and serve their communities. For more information, click here.
About Operation Homefront
Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.
