JAN-PRO Gives Back to Franchise Community with Scholarships

PRO of Atlanta recently announced the recipients of its $2,500 scholarship to help offset college expenses for deserving family members of its unit franchise owners. As part of the second annual Your Family First Scholarship Program, the scholarships awarded out will enable Patricia Stephens and Precious Buddington to attend Atlanta Metropolitan College and Oglethorpe University, respectively.

“We realize there is no greater legacy than a good education,” said Brad Rush, CEO of JAN-PRO Atlanta. “Giving back in this way recognizes our hard working franchise owners and helps their families offset the rising costs of a college education.”

According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2013-14 school year was $34,094 at private colleges, $8,893 for state residents at public colleges and $22,203 for out-of-state residents attending public universities. The price of college has risen more than four times faster than inflation since 1978, easily outpacing doctors’ bills.

Giving back to its owners and their communities is a core part of the JAN-PRO company culture, and the spirit of helping and mentoring others has been a basic belief at JAN-PRO for the past 23 years. In response to the staggering cost of higher education, JAN-PRO created the Your Family First Scholarship Program. In 2014, the inaugural year of the program, master franchise owners across the United States awarded 70 scholarships in special ceremonies spanning from Charleston to San Diego. This year, the company once again awarded a total of 70 scholarships, totaling approximately $150,000.

“So many of our franchisees over the years have told us they joined JAN-PRO in order to build a business and leave a legacy for their families,” said Eddie Curry, CEO of JAN-PRO’s subsidiary, Premium Franchise Brands. “We know there is no greater legacy than a good education, so we recognized that giving back in this way helps reward both our hard working franchise owners and provides their families with the ability to offset the rising costs of a college education.”