Investing in Future Generations
Helping others realize their potential and achieve their dreams is a key part of what makes the restaurant industry special. We support programs and organizations that help America’s youth do just that.
Darden's Next Course Scholarship
The Darden Foundation introduced the Next Course Scholarship program in 2023 to support our team members’ families by helping their children achieve their educational goals. As a result, nearly 200 children or dependents of Darden team members have been awarded post-secondary scholarships worth $3,000 each over the last two years. These team members represent more than 140 different restaurants across all of our brands and 39 states.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
We strive to create an inclusive atmosphere for our guests and our team members. As part of our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we invest in training that guides our leaders in establishing an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued and respected. That is why we are partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to develop training that will help youth of all ages better understand diversity and combat racial discrimination.
The newly created Youth for Unity training curriculum will provide dynamic experiences and activities focused on combating racism and promoting equity. Made possible by total donations of $1.5 million from the Darden Foundation, the curricula will help foster the next generation of leaders, problem-solvers and advocates for change.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
Darden’s support of Boys & Girls Clubs extends into our hometown. For 25 years, we have supported the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida with contributions exceeding $5 million.
Most recently, the Darden Foundation committed $1.5 million to support construction of the new Bradley-Otis Boys & Girls Family Club, named after former Darden CEO Clarence Otis and his wife Jacqueline Bradley, and to the expansion of the Joe R. Lee Club, named for Darden’s first Chairman and CEO Joe Lee. The Bradley-Otis Boys & Girls Club is the largest branch in Central Florida — a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility serving more than 250 children each day.
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Through the Darden Foundation, we support the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s ProStart 
program, a national high school program that introduces students to career opportunities in the restaurant industry and provides them with an industry-driven curriculum on topics ranging from culinary techniques to management skills. Our annual contribution of $250,000 also supports the Restaurant Ready program to engage and encourage disconnected young people to pursue a path to employment and improve their quality of life.
In fiscal 2020, we donated an additional $200,000 to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to endow a scholarship fund for students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Each year, four graduating seniors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pursuing degrees in restaurant, hospitality or foodservice programs are eligible to receive a scholarship at a postsecondary educational institution in memory of the ProStart students who lost their lives in the 2018 tragedy.
University Endowments
We have provided more than $5.5 million in endowments to universities across the country to promote careers in the hospitality industry and provide financial aid for students to gain invaluable experience. Through the Darden Foundation, we have funded scholarships, fellowships, professorships and more at:
| Cal Poly Pomona | $100,000 |
| Cornell University | $50,000 |
| Florida State University | $100,000 |
| Northern Arizona University | $100,000 |
| University of Central Florida | $5,000,000 |
| University of Florida | $50,000 |
| Virginia Tech | $100,000 |
| Washington State University | $100,000 |