On September 16, we hosted our third annual Swinging for Scholarships golf tournament, a charity event that continues to grow every year. This year, we raised nearly $130,000 in sponsorships alone, our biggest numbers yet!

Here at Border Foods, we’re humbled by the ongoing participation and generosity of our incredible sponsors and vendor partners.

Every single dollar raised is put toward funding our Carol Williams Scholarship by Border Foods program, which supports team members’ educational aspirations.

“What makes me the most excited about this day is being able to give out even more scholarships than we ever have before,” says President and CEO Aaron Engler. 

According to Mollie Sommer, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist, because of the success of the event, we’re able to give away three times MORE in scholarship funds than we were before its launch. That means more hope and opportunity for ambitious people in our restaurants!

Event Highlights

Upon arrival at Bunker Hills Golf Club, excitement was running high. In just a few years, Swinging for Scholarships has become a support staff favorite; it’s an all-hands-on-deck sort of affair where many of our very own volunteer to help pull it off.

This is the best day of the year.

Max Corrigan, VP of Analytics & Marketing

“Every year, we get a little smarter, a little brighter about how to make this impactful,” shares Chief People Officer Sharla Hennek.

Each hole on the golf course is paired with an experience or fun activity. With 125 golfers trying to beat the day’s heat, we nearly ran out of Baja Blast and Orange Dream Freezes!

The tournament wrapped up with a three-way tiebreaker for first, but our friends at A+ Outdoors stole the show. Congrats!

The Impact

For us, this isn’t just about swinging a club and hanging with friends, it’s about making a real, tangible impact in our people’s lives. It’s the live más way of making lives better for those who work so hard for us.

This event holds extra special meaning to Max Corrigan, our VP of Analytics & Marketing and son-in-law to the late Carol Williams, the beloved namesake of our scholarship program. Max has been instrumental in getting Swinging for Scholarships off the ground and onto the greens!

Get in on the Action

If you’d like a piece of the pie, take note that the application period for our Carol Williams Scholarship opens in January. We’re aiming to hand out up to 12 scholarships in 2026! 

Good Vibes, Great Shots

Are you interested in gaining access to funds to fuel your secondary education? Here’s your chance! Applications for the Carol Williams Scholarship by Border Foods are officially open for eligible team members. You can apply beginning January 16th through April 4th.

The Carol Williams Scholarship is named in honor of our late Vice President of Operations who valued (among so many other things) education and hard work. Carol is known as one of the greatest Taco Bell operators of all time, and is the founder of our deeply rooted family culture. By applying, you’re part of a legacy that supports the next generation of leaders. Last year, we gave away $50,000 to four award winners, and we can’t wait to do it again in 2025.

To be eligible, you need to be:

• Pursuing any post-secondary education
• An employee of Border Foods
• Employed for at least three (3) months with an average of 6 hours per week as of the application deadline

Apply now!

At Border Foods, giving back to the communities we serve is more than a commitment—it’s a passion. We recently sat down with Mollie, who leads our community engagement efforts, to discuss the standout initiatives from 2024.

Making a Difference Through Our Annual Golf Tournament

One of the highlights of our community engagement this year was our annual golf tournament, Swinging For Scholarships. “Our golf tournament has turned out to be a huge success,” Mollie shares. “In 2023, we raised over $120,000, and this past year, we raised over $130,000.”

All funds raised go directly to our Border Foods Scholarship Programs. “We’ve been able to triple the amount of dollars we’ve given in scholarships compared to previous years,” she notes. “It’s a huge impact on our team members who are receiving the scholarships.”

The event is a collaborative effort involving our employees and vendors. “Our office staff, region coaches, and directors all volunteer to help at the event,” Mollie explains. “We had over 30 sponsors, many of whom are our vendors. It allows them to be a part of it too, and they get excited about contributing to such a good cause.”

Strengthening Community Connections

Community engagement is a priority for Border Foods. “We want to be actively involved in the communities that we operate in,” Mollie emphasizes. “This year, we made it a goal to connect with our communities more frequently and on a wider basis.”

Our teams are passionate about participating in local events. “We’ve had a lot of interest from our team members bringing ideas like getting involved in community parades or donating coupons to local schools,” she says. “It gives a sense of pride for our employees and a connection to both their community and Border Foods.”

Success for our community programs is measured by increased participation. “We’ve expanded our efforts beyond the Twin Cities to include other communities where we operate,” Mollie notes. “Empowering our team members and seeing their excitement is a true measure of our success.”

Empowering Our Team Members

Engaging in community initiatives fosters a strong sense of belonging among our employees. “Our team loves helping with events, serving food, and hanging out with the kids,” Mollie shares.

It gives a sense of pride for our employees and a connection to both their community and Border Foods.

Mollie, Community Engagement Lead

For Mollie, leading these efforts is personally rewarding. “It’s really fulfilling to connect with our communities and see the impact that it can make,” she reflects. “Whether it’s donating food to an event, volunteering, or making a monetary donation, it goes far, and people just really appreciate it.”

Border Foods is investing in YOUR higher education. Education is important to us! That’s why we created the Border Foods and Carol Williams Scholarships, aimed at supporting our team members in pursuit of dreams outside the restaurant. 

Since we launched these programs in 2019, we’ve given out hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money to students within the Border Foods family. And we’ve got more than TRIPLE that amount to give away in 2024! Thanks to our inaugural Swinging For Scholarships event, we raised an additional $120,000 for our scholarship programs. That will provide for the handing out of 25 scholarships this year! Money granted can go toward tuition and other school costs.

Border Foods Scholarship Eligibility:

• Be a current employee of Border Foods;
• Currently pursuing post-secondary education;
• Employed at least three months, with an average of six hours/week.

Carol Williams Scholarship Eligibility (Same as Above)

Application deadline is Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Don’t miss your chance to apply! Visit borderfoods.com/scholarships-2024 to learn more.