DQ owner sweet on giving to The Salvation Army
Longtime Salvation Army supporter Dave Frauenshuh is one of Minnesota’s most prominent commercial real estate developers, and arguably the most successful developer of medical properties in the country. The devout Christian has been a staunch ally and perennial donor of The Salvation Army Northern Division since 2002 and serves on The Salvation Army’s national board of directors.
Dave is passionate about The Salvation Army because “of the breadth of its mission,” he said. “The Army touches on so many of the problems in society. My giving comes from my belief that I can’t out-give Jesus.”
Throughout the decades Dave spent building his companies from scratch, he passed down a valuable lesson to his son, Matt Frauenshuh: “My dad taught me from a very young age that everything we are given is God’s, not ours,” said Matt, 33, now a proud husband and father himself. “When you are blessed with more than you deserve, it is a gift.”
Today, Matt is following in his father’s footsteps – both as a successful businessman and an ardent Salvation Army supporter. He lives his dad’s “God’s-not-ours” philosophy through his job as CEO of Fourteen Foods, a company that includes 164 Dairy Queen Grill & Chill restaurants in 10 states. He uses the 9,000-employee business to raise millions for charity.
The Salvation Army is one of those charities. In nine years, Fourteen Foods has raised more than $500,000 for The Salvation Army via miniature red kettles – or “Counter Kettles” – located next to the cash registers inside all 164 restaurants, 365 days a year.
“The Salvation Army is a good fit for Fourteen Foods because the money we raise in small towns stays in those small towns,” Matt said. “I like that The Salvation Army is involved in small communities. I like that it’s faith-based.”
Faith is important to Matt, who named his company Fourteen Foods for a reason: “It’s based on Matthew 14, when Jesus feeds 5,000 people.”
Fourteen Foods doesn’t stop at counter kettles. The company sponsors Salvation Army events and its employees ring bells during the Christmas season. In addition, some of its restaurants regularly host tours for inner-city kids enrolled in Salvation Army youth programs
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Matt believes that the larger Fourteen Foods becomes, the more people his company can help. He’s well on his way to making that happen: When Matt took over the business from his father in 2006, Fourteen Foods – then Frauenshuh Hospitality Group – was three years old and included seven DQ Grill & Chill restaurants. Under Matt’s leadership, the company has added an average of 18 restaurants annually during the past nine years.
“This is about God’s will, not what we want,” Matt said. “The focus of my life is not about finding personal happiness. It’s about helping others.”
Heirloom of giving
The lessons Dave taught Matt have created a new legacy of giving that is producing a larger impact than Dave ever could have made alone. Their story illustrates how important it is for parents to pass down a philanthropic vision to their children.
But make no mistake: You needn’t be a business tycoon to make an impact.
“Far from it,” said Lt. Col. Robert Thomson, Salvation Army commander in Minnesota and North Dakota. “A mother and son volunteering together once a month makes an impact. A father and his daughter ringing bells together at Christmas makes an impact. What’s important is that our younger generations are exposed to the importance and value of giving.”
Encouraging the younger generations to get involved has become a priority for The Salvation Army. Right now, much of our support comes from the Baby Boomers and the Silent and Greatest generations. The Salvation Army made an indelible mark on them during such worldwide struggles as the Great Depression, World War II and the Vietnam War. The brave men and women of these generations have not forgotten what The Salvation Army did for them, and they continue to give accordingly.
Younger generations, on the other hand, have not been exposed to the important work of The Salvation Army in the same way the older generations have.
“In order to maintain our status as the largest and most trusted faith-based charity in America in the decades ahead, we must engage the upcoming generations,” Thomson said. “As hard as we are working to demonstrate to our younger supporters the value and importance of The Salvation Army, there is no substitute for parental influence.”
There are many ways to expose your children to the good work of The Salvation Army: volunteering together, starting a fundraiser, shopping at or donating to our stores, and much more.