Teriyaki Madness Giving Friday Profits To Somers 'Angels' Playground

NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT — A month of giving at Teriyaki Madness is about to culminate with a "day of giving" and 100 percent of the restaurants' proceeds going to a playground project being built in memory of a family devastated by fire.

Teriyaki Madness has three locations in Connecticut — Enfield, Hamden, and Manchester — and is partnering with the Where Angels Play Foundation to raise funds to support the special playground that will be dedicated to the memory of four children of the Koropatkin family, who lost their lives in a multi-family house fire on Jan. 3, 2024.

The playground is being created with the involvement of the family. Ground-breaking is slated for October in a park set aside by the town of Somers.

On Friday, 100 percent of the profits from the three will go to the cause.

Restaurant owners Ken and Audrey Schanke said the inspiration behind the playground project stems from a deep connection to the Somers community. They also own some Jersey Mike's franchises that have also been behind the project.

They added, "For the past seven years, we've participated in Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving, and when the Somers fire happened just a few miles from our home, we felt compelled to support the community," they said.

"In February, we held a fundraiser in support of the Koropatkin family, and we had already been working with Bill Lavin, founder of Where Angels Play, for about eight years. When the town of Somers created a fund to support Rebecca and Kevin, they happened to call it the Angels Fund. Though it wasn’t affiliated with Bill’s organization, the name felt like more than just a coincidence—it was a 'God Wink.' That moment made it clear to us that we needed to connect with Bill and direct the funds from our Day of Giving—through Jersey Mike's and Teriyaki Madness—toward the playground fund, which will cost approximately $125,000 to build."

When asked how important is it for the business to be part of the community, the Schankes were quick to answer.

"Being part of the community is at the core of why we chose to partner with Jersey Mike’s and Teriyaki Madness. We host fundraisers every month at all seven of our locations—four Jersey Mike’s and three Teriyaki Madness—because giving to give is a fundamental part of who we are. We’re more than just a business; we’re here to support the community in any way we can.

"Within the local stores we own, we focus our Day of Giving efforts on a single charity. However, as a brand, each Jersey Mike’s franchise selects its own charity to support. With Teriyaki Madness, we’re pioneering this same approach to mirror what we do with Jersey Mike’s, by dedicating 100 percent of our sales on the Day of Giving to a chosen charity. This year, we’re hosting a Day of Giving for our Teriyaki Madness locations across Connecticut on March 28, where we will be donating 100 percent of all sales to support the Where Angels Play charity in support of the Koropatkin family."

The Teriyaki Connecticut Locations are:

• 172 Deming St., Manchester
• 7 Hazard Ave., Enfield
• 2100 Dixwell Ave., Hamden