This October, Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars across the country came together to support youth sports by raising funds to benefit the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation during the annual Team Up For Kids event.

Hundreds of Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars across the country rose to the occasion to support the fundraiser, which brought in more than $1.2 million. These funds will go to programs like ALLSTARS through Boys & Girls Clubs, which provide kids the opportunity to be part of a team. And, for the thousands of kids who are at home, these funds will continue to support virtual programming efforts.

For many Buffalo Wild Wings team members, the chance to support Boys & Girls Clubs is personal. In New Mexico, District Manager Aaron Copley spent most of his childhood at his local Club in Las Cruces and attributes much of his success as an adult to the experiences he gained at his local Club.

“It makes you interact with other people. It starts a way of communicating at a young age. Everything you do at BGCA is about teamwork,” Copley said. “Being there helped me develop a sense of community and relationships that helps me now in my job.”

Copley also emphasized how working for a company that values the importance of community makes his job never truly feel like work.

“I’ve worked for a few other restaurant companies and none of them do the amount of community outreach like Buffalo Wild Wings,” Copley said. “Over the years, I’ve built relationships with many of the local Club kids. To see that you remember something small about them really makes an impact on their lives.”

Because of the support of our guests and team members like Copley, the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation will continue to build communities where all kids can thrive, compete and belong to a team.  Since 2013, the Foundation has helped provide access to sports for more than one million kids across the U.S. through partners like Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

To learn more about the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation, visit foundation.buffalowildwings.com