Brothers Subtitles 2009

[Carin Mita]

WhenHurricane Katrina struck in 2005, brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen, former Jacksonville firefighters and founders of Firehouse Subs, loaded a tour bus and tractor-trailer with food and headed to the Gulf Coast.

"The people were in total shock, so we set up camp and started feeding everybody," he said. "It was an incredible feeling. The feeling of helping - we brought beans, rice, sandwiches - just the look on everyone's faces as we brought the food out really touched us deeply."

That experience led the Sorensens to establish the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which provides life-saving equipment, disaster relief and other resources to public safety organizations in communities served by the restaurants.

When the Sorensens and their team - including partner Stephen Joost and their father, retired Jacksonville Fire Capt. Rob Sorensen - departed for the Gulf Coast, their intent was to feed first responders. But when they arrived, first responders were already receiving help. So police officers escorted them to residents in need.

"We visited multiple sites over the course of four days. Ended up in Kiln, Mississippi ... at a high school where FEMA was set up," Robin Sorensen said. "The survivors at that high school had not eaten in a while, so once again we were in the right place to assist the people who had been directly hit by the hurricane."

"We toured through this area and as far as the eye could see, it looked like match sticks. Everything was completely leveled - from one end to the other, house after house completely demolished," he said. "I remember one historic courthouse building and the only thing left was the concrete slab and one of those green historic [maker] signs. The building was completely gone."

"We had wanted to start our own foundation for a long time and had done some philanthropy work with muscular dystrophy, which is a great cause," he said. "But we wanted something that really resonated with our brand. The Shriners have the burn center, and they kind of own that, so it took us a long time to figure out what cause we should align with. But we left New Orleans feeling like we could do this. We knew it was our calling."

"Having come from a long line of public service, mainly fire but also police, we know from personal experience that no department ever has enough equipment. There's always a need for additional help to save lives," said Robin Sorensen. "So we came up with the name ... and the mission to include all of this, and through the years now, it's been the most rewarding thing."

Funding comes from an endowment, as well as customers and franchisees, with all Firehouse Subs restaurants actively participating in raising money for the foundation. Initiatives include recycling empty 5-gallon pickle buckets available to guests for a $2 donation to the foundation, allowing guests to "round up" their bill to the nearest dollar and spare change donation canisters.

3a8082e126