• Mici Italian will help local teachers purchase school supplies for their classrooms with the “Mici Clears the List” contest.
• The Italian restaurant franchise’s Dining for Dollars program has raised more than $500,000 for 80-plus schools since 2009.

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Mici Italian in Denver is amping up its charitable giving program, Dining for Dollars, by donating funds for school supplies to public schools with a new contest called “Mici Clears the List.”

Through Dining for Dollars, Mici raises around $70,000 per year, which goes directly to participating schools. Since the program began in 2009, the company has worked with 80-plus schools and raised more than $500,000. Mici hopes to make an even bigger impact with “Mici Clears the List” by helping local teachers purchase school supplies for their classrooms.

With a background in education, Mici Co-Founder Kim Miceli holds the Dining for Dollars program close to her heart. “Given the opportunity, I have always wanted to be able to give back to the communities I used to serve,” she said. “During my time in the public school system, I saw first-hand how impactful fundraisers like Dining for Dollars can be to these students. Mici has had a lot of success, but what we’ve done with the Dining for Dollars program is where I feel most proud.”

The “Mici Clears the List” contest, held on Facebook and Instagram, invites teachers, educational volunteers, education directors, parents and students to post a picture with a caption about why their nominee—whether it’s a particular school or teacher—deserves to win, along with the hashtag #MiciClearstheList in the caption.

The recipient must have a current school supplies Wish List on Amazon.com.

A post on those two social media platforms constitutes an entry into the challenge. The winner will be announced on September 30, and Mici will “clear the list” by providing all of the supplies the winner needs for the new school year.

“We are always thinking of new ways to support the educational community in the areas that surround Mici restaurants, and this contest gives us the opportunity to give back to the people that have stood by us,” Miceli said. Mici hopes this social media movement will raise awareness about the lack of classroom supplies and help teachers access important items on their Amazon Wish Lists.

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Mici also offers schools significant discounts on pizzas for school lunches, and so far, at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, the company has donated more than 10,000 free cheese pizza coupons to schools. Some of the organizations that have benefited from the Dining for Dollars program over the years include the Kids Compassion Project, Hope Kids Colorado, and countless neighborhood schools.

Founded in 2004, Mici Italian is an emerging Italian restaurant franchise based in Denver. It has locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Dallas/Fort Worth—with more locations coming, the company says.

Mici has earned various awards throughout the years, including being named to Fast Casual Magazine’s 2022 Top Movers and Shakers; QSR Magazine’s 40/40 List for 2022: America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals; one of “11 Restaurant Brands on the Cusp of Greatness” by QSR Magazine; and “8 Italian Fast Casual Concepts Stirring the Pot,” by Nation’s Restaurant News. In Denver, Mici has been honored in the 5280 Magazine’s Readers’ Choice poll for Best Italian, Best Pizza, Best Meatball and Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant for Top of the Town for the past 10 years. Westword also listed the company as offering the “Best Pizza and Best Dinner Under $10.”