In 2000 we opened four new PartnerShop locations. Existing PartnerShop owners opened two stores and one kiosk. One new partner was added to the program. Juma opened in Pacific Bell Park, San Francisco, CA, and Common Ground opened a shop in Rockefeller Center and a kiosk in Bryant Park, New York City. Metro Community Investment (MCI) was our new partner with the opening of a shop in Minneapolis, MN. MCI is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing poverty by providing economic development and job opportunities for youth and low-income individuals. We also added another staff person to the program for a total of two.

In addition to the PartnerShops opened in 2000, we have a PartnerShop in Ithaca, New York, operated by The Learning Web and three in New York City, two operated by Common Ground (www.commonground.org), a nonprofit housing and training organization, and one by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. We also have two PartnerShops in San Francisco operated by Juma Ventures (www.jumaventures.org), a nonprofit youth services organization. Juma also operates a satellite business selling ice cream at San Francisco’s ballparks. There is also a satellite store in Siesta Key, Florida, owned by the Suncoast Regional Youth Consortium of Sarasota, a nonprofit with a School-to-Work, Tech Prep and Youth Council program.

At the end of 2000 we had 112 owners (independent operators, not corporations) in our franchise system. 19% of our independent owners are women and people of color, compared to 15% percent in 1999.

In 2000 the total amount spent by franchisees on community-based efforts was $385,968, or 13% of the annual 4% marketing obligation as compared to $343,076 or 13% in 1999. In 2000 operators were asked to report activities by category (ie. community initiatives). Of the total local spending 55.5% was focused on Children & Families; 24.8% went to Civic Projects; 15.3% on Other and 4.4% on Environmental Initiatives.

At the 2000 Franchise meeting in Phoenix, participants completed a daylong playground build with KaBoom! for the Whitman Elementary School located in Mesa, Arizona.

835,000 free cones were served, which equals over 208,000 pounds of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet.

There was no franchise-related litigation against the company in 2000.