The Cheesecake Factory has inherited a tradition of excellence from our founders, Oscar and Evelyn Overton, whose values have shaped our culture and continue to define the character of our company today. The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation exists to fulfill its mission through enhancing the wellbeing of its surrounding communities – both here in the United States and around the world. This non-profit organization was created not only as a means to raise funds for worthy causes, but also as a way to unite our caring and conscientious staff members in charitable causes and disaster relief efforts.

On Thanksgiving Day, staff members of The Cheesecake Factory, Grand Lux Cafe and RockSugar restaurants join forces for the annual Thanksgiving Day Feast for The Salvation Army. Volunteer staff members prepare and serve a very special “Cheesecake Factory” style holiday meal to disadvantaged individuals and families coast-to-coast.

Each June, the Foundation hosts the annual charity golf tournament and auction 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. In just seven years, the Foundation has contributed nearly $1,500,000 to the City of Hope.

The Foundation sponsors staff member teams for fundraising or community service projects through a program called The Cheesecake Factory ‘Secret Ingredients.’ The purpose of this program is to inspire staff to get involved with the non-profit organizations they care about. 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 ‘Secret Ingredients’ staff members, the larger the donation!

September is Hunger Action Month and we “Drive Out Hunger” with a staff food drive supporting local Feeding America network food banks. In 2009 our staff collected and donated 266,649 cans of soup. In 2008 we collected peanut butter and donated more than 43,515 jars of peanut butter to community food banks.

The Foundation supports the South Los Angeles Youth & Community Center, and has donated $40,000 each year since 2006. The Center is located in one of the most dangerous areas 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 donations have given these children a safe place to play every Saturday.

In times of great disaster, our staff has shown an outpouring of support for those in need, and has contributed to relief efforts through the “$5 to Save Lives” program. The program is based on the simple idea that a contribution of any dollar amount greatly assists victims of disaster, particularly when presented collectively with other staff members' donations. The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation has proudly matched staff members’ contributions and collectively donated $80,000 for Haitian Earthquake Disaster Relief. In 2005, $62,000 was collected and donated for Tsunami Relief and $185,000 in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Cheesecake Factory Foundation and our dedicated donors and volunteers are making a difference in our communities and the lives of many.


Recent Foundation Events / Donations

Thanksgiving Day Feast in Thirteen Cities
November 26, 2009  For the past eight years, The Cheesecake Factory has prepared and served a Thanksgiving Day Feast at select Salvation Army Centers across the country. The mission of our Thanksgiving Day Feast is to offer staff members the opportunity to give back to their local communities by donating their time and energy in preparing and serving a fine-dining Cheesecake Factory experience to those less fortunate. In addition to providing exceptional food and service, the dinner offers personal fulfillment for our staff member volunteers and our Salvation Army guests. In 2009 nearly 3,000 staff members in thirteen cities volunteered and serves Thanksgiving dinner to 6,000 low-income individuals and families. Locations included Salvation Army Centers in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas and Long Island as well as the Orange County Rescue Mission Village of Hope in Tustin, CA.

7th Annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit City of Hope
June 29, 2009  The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation hosted its seventh annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament benefiting City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake, CA. Thanks to The Cheesecake Factory's many generous vendors and participants, $222,000 was raised for City of Hope.

Thanksgiving Day Feast in Twelve Cities
November 27, 2008  For the past seven years, The Cheesecake Factory has prepared and served a Thanksgiving Day Feast at select Salvation Army Shelters. The mission of our Thanksgiving Day Feast is to offer staff members the opportunity to give back to their local communities by donating their time and energy in preparing a fine-dining Cheesecake Factory experience to those less fortunate. In addition to providing exceptional food and service, the dinner offers personal fulfillment for our staff member volunteers and our Salvation Army guests. In 2008 more than 2,500 staff members in twelve cities across the country volunteered to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner to 5,000 homeless and low-income individuals and families in local shelters. Locations included Salvation Army shelters in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Atlanta and Dallas, as well as the Orange County Rescue Mission Village of Hope in Tustin, CA.

6th Annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit City of Hope
June 23, 2008  The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation hosted its sixth annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament benefiting City of Hope at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake, CA. Thanks to The Cheesecake Factory's many generous vendors and participants, $275,000 was raised for City of Hope.

Thanksgiving Day Feast in Ten Cities
November 22, 2007  On Thanksgiving Day in 2007, more than 2,000 staff members in ten cities across the country volunteered to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner to 4,500 homeless and low-income individuals and families in local shelters. Locations included Salvation Army shelters in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix and Atlanta.

5th Annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit City of Hope
June 25, 2007  The Cheesecake Factory Oscar & Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation hosted its fifth annual Invitational Charity Golf Tournament benefiting City of Hope at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake, CA. Thanks to The Cheesecake Factory's many generous vendors and participants, $268,000 was raised for City of Hope. Through this donation the Foundation has met its goal of donating $1,000,000 to City of Hope in five years!