Point Pleasant Beach Welcomes Special Olympics USA Games Torch

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Jersey Mike's Subs, led by founder and CEO Peter Cancro, is a local institution at the Jersey Shore that has also grown exponentially at the national level. From its humble beginnings as a small sandwich shop along Arnold Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach, Jersey Mike's now has over 2,000 locations, including stores in Canada and Australia.

From the start, giving back to the local community has been something near and dear to Cancro's ethos. At first, that was accomplished by offering quality food and a great experience. As the company grew, so did Jersey Mike's philanthropic contributions.

Beginning in 2011, Cancro and Jersey Mike's began their Month of Giving in which Jersey Mike's locations nationwide accept donations throughout the month of March, culminating with the company's Day of Giving when all restaurants gather 100 percent of their sales to donate to the Special Olympics. This year, the Jersey Mike's Day of Giving raised and donated a staggering $20 million to help local athletes attend and compete in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, which take place from June 5 through 12 in Orlando, Fla.

On Tuesday, the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games Law Enforcement Torch run made its stop at Antrim Elementary School's Donald T. Fioretti Field in Point Beach. New Jersey athletes and their families, coaches, and law enforcement members were on hand at the event, which was sponsored by Jersey Mike's. Cancro and Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra were among the event's guest speakers.

Special Olympics athletes with law enforcement members who were part of the Torch Run at the Donald T. Fioretti Field Pt. Pleasant Beach.

That very field also has special significance to Cancro, who was a member of the Point Pleasant Beach High School football team. It was, after all, a football coach who was also a banker that helped Cancro secure the money to purchase what was then Mike's Submarines as a 17-year-old high school senior in 1975. The rest, as they say, is history.

According to Jersey Mike's, the $20 million raised this year is their most ever, surpassing the $15 donated in 2021. Since 2011, Jersey Mike's has raised more than $67 million for local charities.

Special Olympics athlete with law enforcement member hold up the "Flame of Hope"

Pt. Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra addresses the crowd at the Special Olympics Torch Run at the Donald T. Fioretti Field Pt. Pleasant Beach.

Jersey Mike's founder & CEO Peter Cancro addresses the crowd at the Special Olympics Torch Run at the Donald T. Fioretti Field Pt. Pleasant Beach.

Special Olympics athletes and their families at the Torch Run at the Donald T. Fioretti Field Pt. Pleasant Beach.