In 2017, Knoxville Rotarian and Dunkin’ franchisee, Dave Baumgartner, started thinking about how he could leverage his 20+ Dunkin’ locations to support World Polio Day and help raise awareness and money to help eradicate Polio world wide.
World Polio Day, which is on October 24th every year, is also sometimes referred to as “Purple Pinkie Day”. This is because during National Immunization Days kids have their pinkies marked with purple ink that lasts for 30 days, to ensure they are not vaccinated more than once. Thus, the the Purple Pinkie Donut—a glazed donut stick, with a dab of purple icing—was created.
It all began with an idea.
Thanks to generous matching funds from the Rotary district and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, each $2 donation ended up raising $15 for End Polio Now! With such a compelling multiplier, Rotarians started pre-ordering boxes of Purple Pinkie donuts and in one day of fundraising $100,000 had been raised for End Polio Now!
Pictured are Knoxville area Rotarians and employees of the Dunkin’ franchise, Bluemont Group.
Unexpected success.
2018
With the success of the first year’s fundraising effort, word spread about the promotion. Other Dunkin’ franchisees across Tennessee, representing a total of 100 Dunkin’ locations, joined in the fundraiser. Additionally, the matching funds increased to $18 total per every $2 donated and the second year’s donation to End Polio Now was an astonishing $500,000.
With the challenges 2020 presented, we weren’t sure we would be able to execute the Purple Pinkie Donut campaign. With passionate support from the 5 participating Rotary Districts all the way down to Mobile, AL and Dunkin’ Franchisees in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, we raised just over 1.3 Million Dollars (including 9x matching funds) in the 3rd year.
2022
International Recognition
In 2023 there were 11 participating Rotary Districts.
After raising another $1.6 Million for polio eradication with the 2023 Purple Pinkie Donut Campaign, Dave was presented the Service Above Self award by Rotary International.
2021
In 2021 and 2022 the matching funds were reduced to a 7.5x match instead of 9x, but an additional district in Kansas joined the campaign and we still managed to raise another $1.3 Million each year!
Tremendous Growth in the Second Year
Even a pandemic couldn’t slow us down!
Word continues to spread.
2019
2020
With only 2 countries (Afghanistan & Pakistan) reporting a total of 6 polio cases in 2021, we thought we were
THIS CLOSE -> <- to starting the clock on total eradication (3 years after 0 cases have been reported).
As of July 9th, 2024 there have been 17 confirmed cases of polio worldwide. Nine (9) cases occurred in Afghanistan, and eight (8) in Pakistan. At this point in 2023 there were 6 cases, so unfortunately we are not seeing the improvement we hoped for, but immunization efforts in both countries are focused and intensifying and so the fight continues.
If you would like to join the effort to eradicate polio once and for all, please consider making a donation or ordering Purple Pinkie Donuts when ordering opens on September 1st.