CANTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 11, 2025--
The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, an independent charitable foundation supported by Dunkin’, today announced it plans to award more than 500 grants totaling over $10 million to nonprofit organizations across the country by the end of the year. These grants help advance the Foundation’s mission to provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness.
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The funding will be distributed through the Foundation’s Community Impact Grants and Signature Impact Programs which support efforts to help combat childhood hunger and create joyful experiences for pediatric patients and their families.
"Our goal is simple: ensure that every grant we award creates a meaningful and lasting impact for children in the communities we serve,” said Mollie Collum, Director of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. “The scale of this year’s giving reflects both the growing need and the extraordinary commitment of the entire Dunkin’ system.”
This year’s distribution is made possible largely through the generosity of Dunkin’ franchisees and local communities. Funds were raised through annual initiatives including Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, which generated $2 million in just one day; the Dunkin' x BARK dog toy partnership (available at participating Dunkin’ locations nationwide and online at bark.co/dunkin), and additional in-store giving programs that invited guests to support the Foundation’s mission.
Since launching in 2006, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $70 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country, helping bring joy to millions of children during some of their most challenging times.
About the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation
The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin' and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, children's hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $70 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, visit www.bringjoy.com.
About Dunkin’
Dunkin', founded in 1950, is the largest coffee and donuts brand in the United States, with more than 14,000 restaurants in nearly 40 global markets. Dunkin’ is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit DunkinDonuts.com and InspireBrands.com.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington receives a $25,000 grant at the Fillmore School in Georgetown from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. Funds will provide healthy after-school snacks and meals to club members.
Second Harvest Heartland receives a $15,000 Community Impact Grant from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation to support local hunger-relief efforts. Pictured: Annie Thurston Moore (Second Harvest Heartland) with Legacy Concepts franchisees, Dunkin’ and Inspire Brands team members.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s former acting leader Choi Sang-mok was indicted Thursday on charges related to the brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, becoming the latest high-profile figure embroiled in legal troubles over the case.
Choi is one of three top Yoon administration officials who served as caretaker presidents after Yoon was impeached and removed from office over the martial law declaration that plunged South Korea into massive political turmoil.
Yoon is now in jail while facing a high-stakes criminal trial on rebellion charges. Dozens of high-level officials and military commanders of the Yoon administration have also been arrested, indicted or investigated over their roles in Yoon's martial law debacle and other allegations.
On Thursday, an investigation team led by independent counsel Cho Eun-suk charged Choi with dereliction of duty for not fully restoring the three vacant seats at the nine-member Constitutional Court, which was deliberating whether to unseat Yoon.
Reinstating the court to full strength was seen as a move that could increase prospects for Yoon's ouster because a court ruling to dismiss him needed support from at least six court justices. Choi, who was Yoon's prime minister and finance minister, appointed two new justices but left a ninth justice seat vacant, citing a lack of bipartisan agreement when he became interim president.
In April, the court's eight justices unanimously ruled to throw Yoon out of office.
Cho's team also indicted another acting leader, Han Duck-soo, on the same dereliction of duty charge, assistant special prosecutor Park Ji-young told a briefing. Han, who served as Yoon's prime minister, the No. 2 post, was already indicted in August on the graver charges of abetting Yoon's martial law imposition.
Cho's team accused Han of trying to push Yoon's martial law decree through a Cabinet Council meeting to give it procedural legitimacy. Han has maintained he told Yoon that he opposed his martial law plan.
Park said five other people including Yoon's justice minister were also indicted on Thursday on various charges related to the martial law crisis. She said Choi faces perjury charges as well for his comments made at Han's trial.
Investigations into Yoon's imposition of martial law was one of three independent counsel probes targeting Yoon, his wife and associates. Those probes were approved by new President Lee Jae Myung, who won an early election in June triggered by Yoon's ouster.
In August, Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested and indicted for allegedly violating financial market and political funding laws and receiving bribes. The 82-year-old leader of the Unification Church, Hak Ja Han, was later arrested and indicted over allegations that she instructed church officials to bribe a senior lawmaker close to Yoon.
The Unification Church-involved scandal has roiled South Korean politics, with local media speculating some prominent politicians, including some at the Lee administration, might also have received money from the church.
On Thursday, Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo denied any bribery allegations but offered to resign, suggesting he didn't wan to burden the Lee administration. Lee accepted Chun's resignation offer later Thursday.
Earlier this week, Lee called for a thorough investigation into allegations involving politicians and a religious group, without citing the Unification by name.
South Korean Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo answers questions from reporters at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Kim Joo-hyoung/Yonhap via AP)
FILE - South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks during the National Security Council at the government complex building in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 27, 2024. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP, File)
