Newks and Qdoba Donating Portion of Sales to Southern Miss Childrens Center

Thanks to the generosity of two Hattiesburg area restaurants, Thursdays have become special days for The Children's Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi.

This Thursday, Sept. 15, Newk's Express Café will kick off its brand new partnership with The Children's Center by designating the third Thursday of every month as “Third Thursdays for The Children's Center.” From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, Newk's will donate 10 percent of gross sales to The Children's Center.

“Mississippians should be proud to have such a remarkable program right here at Southern Miss,” said Newk's General Manager David Cullop. “Newk's is excited about doing its part to support the children and families served by The Children's Center.”

Since last December, Hattiesburg's Qdoba restaurant has been donating 20 percent of its gross sales, collected from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, to The Children's Center.

Cindy Bivins, interim director of The Children's Center, said the restaurants' contributions represent an important bond between the center and community partners.

“It is very gratifying when local businesses, like Newk's and Qdoba recognize the positive impact The Children's Center has on our community and on our state,” said Bivins.

A United Way agency, The Children's Center is a clinical program within the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at Southern Miss that provides transdisciplinary early intervention services for children from birth through age 5 who have disabilities. For more information about the Children's Center call 601.266.5222 or visit www.usm.edu/childrenscenter/index.htm