Through their hard work, kindness and generosity, Oscar and Evelyn Overton have had a profound effect on our company culture and the values we strive to achieve each day. In honor of their indelible spirit and charitable nature, we proudly established The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation (the “Foundation”) in 2001.
The Foundation is a 501(c)3 qualified non-profit organization. It was established as a means to give back to the communities that our restaurants serve, and to offer our staff members’ opportunities to volunteer their time to assist the Foundation with its many charitable endeavors.
Ways We Give
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.
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.
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.