{"id":418940,"date":"2026-01-20T15:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T15:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/418940\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T15:30:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T15:30:17","slug":"el-pollo-loco-partners-with-wnba-star-arike-ogunbowale-to-support-school-sports-teams-nationwide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/418940\/","title":{"rendered":"El Pollo Loco Partners with WNBA Star Arike Ogunbowale to Support School Sports Teams Nationwide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cBring the Fire\u201d contest, through the El Pollo Loco Foundation, will award a total of $10,000 worth of new equipment to five sports teams to help build and sustain youth athletics<\/p>\n

EL POLLO LOCO\u00ae PARTNERS WITH WNBA STAR ARIKE OGUNBOWALE TO SUPPORT SCHOOL SPORTS TEAMS NATIONWIDE<\/p>\n

\"The
\n The \u201cBring the Fire\u201d contest, through the El Pollo Loco Foundation, will award a total of $10,000 worth of new equipment to five sports teams to help build and sustain youth athletics. <\/p>\n

COSTA MESA, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — El Pollo Loco<\/a>, the nation\u2019s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, is teaming up with women\u2019s basketball superstar Arike Ogunbowale to support school sports teams across the country through its Foundation\u2019s \u201cBring the Fire\u201d contest, an initiative designed to uplift young athletes and provide much-needed equipment to school programs.<\/p>\n

Through the contest, funded by the El Pollo Loco Foundation, five school sports teams will each receive $2,000 toward helping the team refresh their gear, equipment and\/or facilities to continue building strong athletic programs. The contest is now live nationwide and runs through February 19, 2026, with winners announced mid-March 2026 on El Pollo Loco\u2019s Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchool sports are such a powerful source of confidence and community for young athletes, but not every school has the resources to replace equipment or maintain facilities \u2014 and that shouldn\u2019t be a barrier to participation or success,\u201d said Arike Ogunbowale. \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with El Pollo Loco and the El Pollo Loco Foundation to help remove those barriers so student athletes can focus on having fun, building confidence, teamwork, and a love for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initiative builds on a recent visit by Arike and El Pollo Loco to Lancaster High School in Texas, where they surprised the girls\u2019 basketball team with a special appearance. During the visit, Arike played a spirited game of P-O-L-L-O (a twist on H-O-R-S-E) and presented a $10,000 donation on behalf of El Pollo Loco Foundation to support the school\u2019s girls basketball program. The excitement from the visit sparked the idea of El Pollo Loco\u2019s \u201cBring the Fire\u201d contest, allowing the brand and foundation to support even more school sports teams nationwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to the El Pollo Loco Foundation, supporting the communities we serve goes beyond our restaurants,\u201d said Jill Adams, Chief Marketing Officer at El Pollo Loco. \u201cPartnering with Arike, whose leadership and passion for uplifting underserved youth is evident in everything she does, is a true embodiment of what we aim to achieve in our communities. Her commitment to her community aligns perfectly with our foundation\u2019s mission to support the youth in the communities we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to Enter the \u2018Bring the Fire\u2019 Contest:<\/p>\n

Record a video about what school sports team you\u2019re nominating, why you think the team deserves to win and what they would spend the prize money onPost that video on Instagram and be sure to tag #EPLfire and #Contest in the captionFollow both @elpolloloco and @arike_ogunbowale for updates about the contest <\/p>\n

Visit ElPolloLoco.com\/BringtheFire<\/a> for official details and Terms & Conditions.<\/p>\n

About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq: LOCO) is the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant known for its craveable, flavorful, and better-for-you offerings. Named by\u00a0USA Today\u00a010 Best Reader\u2019s Choice Awards as a \u201cBest Restaurant for Quick, Healthy Food\u201d two years in a row, our menu features innovative meals with Mexican-inspired flavors made daily in our restaurants using quality ingredients. At\u00a0El Pollo Loco<\/a>, inclusivity is at the heart of our culture. Our community of over 4,000 employees reflects our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone has a seat at our table. Since 1980, El Pollo Loco has successfully expanded its presence, operating more than 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants across nine U.S. states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Washington. The company has also extended its footprint internationally, with licensed restaurant locations in the Philippines. For more information or to place an\u00a0order<\/a>, visit the Loco Rewards\u00a0app<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0ElPolloLoco.com<\/a>. Follow us on Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, or\u00a0X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About El Pollo Loco Foundation
EL Pollo Loco Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that aims to provide food and other necessities for those in financial need.<\/p>\n

CONTACT:
El Pollo Loco
[email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/p>\n

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/NewsRoom\/AttachmentNg\/0e22b161-9397-4746-bbb1-54d61a829fdf<\/a><\/p>\n

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