Supporting the C4 Foundation

This Military Appreciation Month, I’d like to share the story of decorated Navy SEAL Charles Humphrey Keating IV (known by the nickname “C4”), who heroically served our country from 2007 to 2016. C4 was an accomplished athlete who was passionate about family and community. He decided to join the military after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. On May 3, 2016, C4 was tragically killed in the line of duty in Telskuf, Iraq. He was given the nation’s second-highest award for extraordinary valor in combat—for his courageous actions during an attack two months before his death. ?

In honor of his memory, his family established a nonprofit called the Charles Humphrey Keating IV (C4) Foundation, which offers customized neuroscience-based programs designed to help SEAL families overcome the unique stressors that they endure. In 2018, the C4 Foundation acquired a 560-acre ranch in San Diego to serve as a sanctuary to implement the programs before, during and after deployments to help families learn how to cope with a stressful lifestyle. The C4 Ranch also provides outdoor activities for residents, creating an ideal backdrop for them to reconnect, reflect and restore family bonds. There’s no other place quite like the C4 Ranch both in setting and purpose.

?Build Our Families, Build Our Country

I’m a veteran myself, so I understand how important it is to ensure that military families and service personnel have the time they need to reunite, reconnect and reestablish their bonds. Bringing military families together before, during and after a team deploys is critical in ensuring that families are strong for the entire length of that deployment. And it’s also integral in keeping the family foundation rock-solid once the veteran returns to civilian life.

When Little Caesars learned about the C4 Foundation, we were impressed with how thoughtfully designed the organization was in terms of purpose and physical space. So, in 2019, we began a philanthropic relationship, committing to donating $10,000 to the foundation whenever a disabled veteran or gold star family member opens a Little Caesars franchise.

?Supporting Veterans

Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch proudly served our country in the military and started our Veterans Program to help servicemen and servicewomen become entrepreneurs. We’re thrilled to honor his legacy by giving back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

It’s our hope that our charitable donations, along with spreading awareness of this great organization, will help elevate the C4 Foundation and its network of elite warriors. We’re honored to support a program dedicated to helping people who have given us so much.

For more information about the C4 Foundation, visit C4Foundation.org.?