Warwick Beacon:
Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts donated $27,500 to Homes for Our Troops recently, to help build a new, specially adapted barrier free home for Army Staff Sergeant Michael Downing from Middleboro, Mass.
The funds were generated during Dunkin’ Donuts’ Iced Coffee Day this spring, during which 5 cents for every small iced coffee purchased, was donated to Homes for Our Troops. In Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, 100 percent of the proceeds from each iced coffee sold were donated.
“On behalf of Dunkin’ Donuts and the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation, I am so proud to make this donation, and am thankful to my fellow franchisees and our loyal customers for helping to make this contribution possible,†said Joe Prazeres, Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee and board member of the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation.
Army SSG Michael Downing was on his second deployment when he was left a double amputee after an IED explosion in Afghanistan in September 2008. The force of the blast threw SSG Downing from his truck, throwing him into enemy territory, unprotected. Quick action by patrol leaders secured the area, all the while exchanging small arms fire as the medics worked to aid the wounded.