Each year, members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) participate in Community Day, which brings awareness to the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation’s mission of ensuring youth access to team sports. During Community Day, participants shadow servers, engage with guests and showcase skills learned through the BGCA’s sports programs.

For 18-year-old Madison Healy, Community Day 2018 was a day she’ll never forget: it’s when she landed her first job. Madison went from shadowing a server to being hired on the spot at Buffalo Wild Wings in Portage, Indiana. In the year since, she’s taken on a leadership role by training other team members and, during Community Day 2019, she mentored a group of BGCA members.

“Madison has been a great asset to our team,” said Allen Long, Shift Manager for Buffalo Wild Wings. “Being a trainer takes someone who is knowledgeable, kind and who has patience. Madison is all of the above and continues to come up with new ways to improve the cashier department.”

Belonging to a team is critical in teaching kids and teens the skills necessary to succeed in life. Madison is a great example of using what she learned through BGCA and translating those skills to her position at Buffalo Wild Wings.

“You can tell the Boys & Girls Club really prepared her,” Allen said. “She was willing to speak with guests right off the bat and that’s something we look for when hiring a cashier.”

Buffalo Wild Wings has a passion for sports and believes every kid deserves the chance to play. During Community Day 2019, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants across the country raised more than $800K for the Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation. These funds, along with all funds raised by the Foundation, will be used to increase access to team sports for kids across the country.