Five nonprofit organizations were selected by Bahama Breeze to each receive a $10,000 grant from the Darden Foundation, the charitable arm of the restaurant’s parent company, Darden Restaurants.

For seven weeks, all 36 Bahama Breeze restaurants across the country competed in a sales competition for the chance to name the benefiting nonprofit of their choice. They include:

The Education Partnership, selected by the Bahama Breeze in Pittsburgh: The Education Partnership works to share in the care and responsibility for local students, and work alongside the community to support them.

Give Kids the World, selected by the Bahama Breeze in Kissimmee: Give Kids the World Village is a 79-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides week-long, cost-free vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, selected by the Bahama Breeze in Memphis: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital aims to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.

Food Bank of Delaware, selected by the Bahama Breeze in Christiana: The Food Bank of Delaware works to provide nutritious foods to Delawareans in need and facilitate long-term solutions to the problems of hunger and poverty through community education and advocacy.

Vegas Roots Community Garden, selected by the Bahama Breeze in Las Vegas: Vegas Roots is a community garden operated through Together We Can, and works to nourish the community with freshly grown foods.

“At Bahama Breeze, we’re passionate about helping our local communities thrive,” says John Wilkerson, president. “Our team members are proud to be able to support different causes and to help make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.”

The $50,000 donation is part of Bahama Breeze’s ongoing commitment to the communities it serves. All restaurants also participate in Bahama Breeze Harvest, a program that has donated more than 480,000 pounds of wholesome, unused food to local food banks since its launch in 2003.