The Foundation’s signature program, Give Back, sponsors teams of staff members who volunteer their time to the Foundation for fundraising and community service projects for the charities they care about most.

Team shirts are provided and the Foundation makes a financial donation to the non-profit beneficiary based on the number of staff members on the team. The more Give Back staff members involved, the larger the donation!

Through this program, the Foundation supports hundreds of 501(c)3 non-profit organizations across the country.

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated has partnered with Feeding America®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, to provide relief to children and adults in need. Since 2008, we’ve donated more than $5.2M to Feeding America through the sale of our specially designated cheesecakes.

During September, in honor of Hunger Action Month, staff members volunteer to support the Foundation by contributing Peanut Butter to local Feeding America® member food banks. Through the annual Peanut Butter Drive, more than 100,000 pounds of peanut butter is collected, stocking food bank shelves just in time for Back-to-School lunches for hungry kids.

On Thanksgiving Day, thousands of staff members volunteer for the Foundation’s annual Thanksgiving Day Feast for The Salvation Army in major cities across the United States. Volunteer staff members, along with their friends and family, create a special day of thanks by preparing and serving an elaborate holiday meal for thousands of disadvantaged individuals and families. This program takes place in 13 cities and serves 6,000 community client guests.

For more than ten years we have been collecting and donating the excess food from our restaurants to local soup kitchens, shelters, transitional housing and after-school programs. Since beginning our food donation efforts in 2008, we have donated more than 5.6 million pounds of food. In 2020, we reimagined what had been called our Harvest Program, renaming it the Nourish Program and utilizing a “zero food waste” technology platform called Copia. Our new program enables each restaurant to donate excess food when it is most convenient for them by submitting a request via Copia’s app which matches the donation to local nonprofits that need it most. Each donation is picked up on demand and delivered directly to nonprofits through Copia’s integration with DoorDash, our exclusive national delivery provider, which makes it seamless for our restaurants and the nonprofits receiving the donation.  

Each June, the Foundation hosts its annual charity golf tournament raising money for the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California.  City of Hope is an innovative biomedical research, treatment and educational institution dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

As a result of this tournament, the Foundation has contributed more than $3 million to the City of Hope.

The Foundation, with the assistance of its dedicated donors, volunteers and staff members make a meaningful difference in our communities and the lives of many.

The Foundation supports the South Los Angeles Youth & Community Center by contributing $48,000 each year. The Center is located in a high-crime area of Los Angeles. Before the Foundation stepped in to help, the Center did not have the funding to remain open on Saturdays. The Foundation’s contributions have given the children in this neighborhood a safe place to play and learn every Saturday since 2006.

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated proudly supports charitable organizations and schools in the communities we serve. Each General Manager has a monthly charitable giving budget.  Donations are made in the form of $25 gift cards for fundraising efforts of the non-profit organizations our guests care about. Please note that The Cheesecake Factory does not participate in food donations or food sampling for events, nor do we make cash donations or provide cash sponsorships of individuals, teams or organizations.

If your school or organization is interested in our program, please submit a donation request to your local Cheesecake Factory no later than 30 days prior to your event. Your request must be written on your school or organization’s official letterhead and should include the following:

• The specific purpose for the donation and how it will be used.
• Proof of the organization’s Federal Tax ID number.
• A copy of the organization’s current IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, if applicable.
• A contact name including address, phone number, and email, if available.
• Information, if any, concerning past or current involvement with our company.

Check that all details have been included in your letter. Unfortunately, requests that do not include all the above details will not be considered.

Sorry, we cannot support organizations that fall into the following categories:

• Programs that promote religion
• Individuals seeking aid
• Organizations lacking proof of 501(c)3 status
• Political organizations or candidates
• Conferences; seminars; or reunions
• Research projects
• Travel for individuals or groups
• Capital campaigns