- A new Jersey Mike's Subs is opening on Sullivan on Wednesday, Sept. 27
- As part of the grand opening celebration, customers with special coupons can get a free sandwich by donating $3 to the local nonprofit ProJeCt of Easton
- ProJeCt of Easton plans to use the funds to continue providing vital support, including adult education, to the community for free
FORKS TWP., Pa. — A new Jersey Mike’s is set to open on Sullivan Trail next week.
To kick off the event, they’re holding a fundraising effort that benefits a local nonprofit while offering up a super cheap sub sandwich.
The new store will open at 1512 Sullivan Trail on Wednesday, Sept. 27, offering up the chain’s well-known fresh sliced and grilled sandwiches.
But the big news for the community is owner Gerrit Curran’s fundraising effort, which will run through Sunday, Oct. 1.
"We can’t wait to be a part of this community and see everyone come together for such a great cause."Sullivan Trail Jersey Mike's Subs owner Gerrit Curran
Folks who received a special fundraising coupon distributed through grassroots efforts prior to the opening will be able to make a minimum $3 donation to ProJeCt of Easton in exchange for a free sub.
"We are so excited to finally be opening our doors to the amazing people of Forks,” Curran said.
“We believe that making a great sub and making a difference can be one and the same. We are partnering with ProJeCt of Easton whose mission is to build a better community by helping people help themselves by providing them with support and instruction in the skills needed to break the cycle of poverty and achieve their goals. We can’t wait to be a part of this community and see everyone come together for such a great cause."
ProJeCt of Easton Community Relations Manager Morgan McKay said she was pleasantly surprised when her organization got the call from Jersey Mike’s about a partnership, and how the sub-franchise “talked about how our mission kind of aligns with what they were going for, and the community that they were looking to support.”
“It was honestly kind of shocking, in a good way, because they are such a large corporation, and obviously, their franchises are all over,” McKay said.
“So it was great. And there's so many nonprofits and other great community organizations in Easton, so it was great that they chose us to be the one to partner with on this. We feel very honored and lucky to be part of it.”
ProJeCt of Easton has a long-standing relationship with local residents, offering a variety of services – including auxiliary services and emergency assistance, referrals to programs that help address abuse, domestic violence and other issues, in addition to their cornerstone initiative of adult education – for anyone in need, focusing on a “whole person approach,” as former ProJeCt of Easton CEO Janice D. Komisors said.
“So we’ve built our programs so that they connect to one another and with the idea that it provides a seamless pathway for people,” Komisor said.
The nonprofit has built an expansive series of community connections in pursuit of its mission, including the Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board, Pennsylvania CareerLink, community colleges, school districts and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. But offering so many invaluable opportunities is a pricy venture, making the fundraising effort spearheaded by Curran so vital.
“All the money raised will go right back into our programs, right back into the food pantry, our adult education or family literacy programs, to just keep those programs going so they're all free of charge to the people who use them,” McKay said.
Fundraising is nothing new to the franchise, which has more than 2,500 locations nationwide. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflected in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.”
Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s locations throughout the country have raised more than $110 million for local charities. In 2023, the company’s 13th Annual Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving in March raised $21 million for more than 200 local charities.
If you’re looking to pick up a sub, the Sullivan Trail Jersey Mike’s will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
