Chaplaincy Program Offers Extra Helping Of Care To Loop Pizza Grill Employees

(Wednesday, February 21, 2007) - In between baking sausage and goat cheese pizzas, creating freshly m shakes, The Loop Pizza Grill is serving an extra helping of tender loving care to its employees, courtesy of a Cha needs of crew members and their families. The non-denominational program puts trained chaplains inside restaurants to help employees manage stress and The chaplains are available to employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are paid a small stipend by the employees. So far, six Loop restaurants have chaplains, and more franchisees are expected to embrace the prog morale, attendance and employee retention. The program is the creation of Loop co-founder and CEO Mike Schneider, who envisioned a faith-based service assistance program to a higher level. "Like many restaurants with young employees, we have kids who come from dysfunctional homes or have proble resource for our people," Schneider said. "They've helped us create an environment where employees feel value Most of the restaurant chaplains are trained youth pastors, and some have a degree or license in counseling. The a week, work alongside employees and, when asked, provide non-denominational, faith-based confidential suppo enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Our crew members in each restaurant feel like they have a friend to talk to. They don't see the chaplains as a re general manager and operating partner of the Eagle Harbor Loop in Jacksonville. "The program is good for mora "It's a great program, especially for younger employees" said Stacie Clements, an Eagle Harbor crew member. "O person to talk to . . . just a good friend. She's someone we can lean on in times of need." Clements said she and many of her fellow employees don't really think of the program in religious terms. "For us, it's not really a ‘Chaplaincy Program'. It's more about the person serving as our chaplain," she explained like Becky, I think the program will always be welcome. And I know my co-workers feel the same way." There's also a bottom-line benefit to the program. Research by Corporate Chaplains of America reveals that eve like theirs nets returns between $5 and $16. At The Loop, corporate managers have seen a decline in absentee concerns in the restaurant industry. But what about legal considerations? In the United States, employers are permitted to offer faith-based services t discrimination and without creating an environment where employees feel pressured to conform to a particular fa The purpose of The Loop's Chaplaincy program isn't to push religion, stressed Schneider. "We don't hit anyone over the head with this. We have Jewish, Muslim and Hindu employees, and they know tha member of their faith community," he said. "The chaplain is a conduit to assist all our employees." Page PMQ's Pizza News e 1 of 2 http://www.pmq.com/news/news.php?id=10602 2/21/2007 Content © Copyright 2000-2006, PMQ, Inc., All rights reserved. Web Solutions by Oxford Computing Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., The Loop Pizza Grill has 30 locations in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, N The Loop Pizza Grill is ranked on Pizza Today's list of the "Top 100 Pizza Companies in the United States" and w "Top 50 Fast-Casual Players." In 2006,the restaurant chain was ranked on Fast Casual's list of "Top 100 Movers

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