SEATTLE — November 5, 2018 – MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC (“MOD Pizza”, “MOD” or the “Company”), a purpose-led fast causal pizza brand, announced a $60,364 donation to The Jed Foundation (JED), a leading nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. The gift is a result of the brand’s first “Impact Pizza” – the Isaac – which honored the life of a Chicago-area teen, Isaac Pedley, who died by suicide in 2017.
Isaac had a deep connection with the MOD Squad at the Naperville, Illinois restaurant; after his death, Isaac’s mother, Jenn Pedley wrote a letter to MOD’s co-founders sharing the profound impact the local team had on Isaac. Scott and Ally Svenson were compelled to act, and the Isaac Pizza was created to shine a light on teen suicide prevention and mental health, and use MOD’s platform to help connect employees, customers and communities to JED’s resources for those in need. More information about the initiative can be found here: https://modpizza.com/isaac/.
“The heart and soul of MOD is to be of service and use our platform of pizza to make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Ally Svenson, co-founder and chief purpose officer, MOD Pizza. “Isaac’s story compelled us to act, and we wanted to help turn heartbreak into hope for others struggling with depression, by offering the resources and support that JED provides to our communities. We were overwhelmed by the positive response to our first Impact Pizza. If this partnership made a difference in just one person’s life, it was well worth it.”
“It’s been inspiring to collaborate with MOD Pizza, an organization that works to build connectedness and a sense of belonging in their local communities, which is exactly what we aim to do at JED in our work with schools and online – so teens and young adults who may be struggling will know they are not alone, feel more comfortable seeking help, and be more likely to be noticed and supported by others,” said John MacPhee, Executive Director/CEO at JED. “With this generous donation from MOD Pizza, JED will be able to further expand the reach of our programs, helping more young people find the resources and support they need to navigate emotional challenges and thrive.”