For many, the name White Castle is synonymous with hamburger sliders and restaurants that resemble castles. But for central Ohio nonprofits and White Castle team members across the country, the name holds a far deeper meaning. It’s a family business that values giving back to the community and invests in educational opportunities to help people achieve their dreams.
That’s all thanks to E.W. “Billy” Ingram, founder of White Castle Systems, Inc. As Erin Shannon, Billy’s great granddaughter and Corporate Relations Manager of White Castle, shared, Billy believed it was important to support his community, and he was particularly passionate about helping others pursue their educational goals.
“It was very important from his point of view to give back to the community,” said Shannon. “He had a wonderful philosophy of supporting organizations in neighborhoods where our castles are located and where we live, work, and raise our families, which makes giving back to our Columbus communities a collaborative partnership.”
These values are carried on today through the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, which Billy started as the Edgar W. Ingram Foundation, a private foundation, in 1949. In 1981, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation became a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, where it continues to operate under the generosity and stewardship of the Ingram family.
The Ingram-White Castle Foundation awards grants to nonprofits primarily in the central Ohio region, typically in the fields of education and human services. In 2024, the foundation supported several local organizations, including the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Columbus Speech and Hearing Center, I Am Boundless Inc., LifeCare Alliance, Student Success Stores, and more.
"Through collaboration, everyone is working together to move our city forward and support the community as much as we can."
ERIN SHANNON
In addition to grantmaking, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation also offers scholarships to team members and their dependents through the Ingram-White Castle Team Member Scholarships program, which started in 1989 to support part-time and full-time students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. Students can use the scholarship toward tuition and to help defray other educational expenses, such as textbooks and technology.
Omar Cooper, a General Manager for White Castle in Detroit, said that the scholarship he received from the Ingram-White Castle Foundation—which totaled $40,000 and was awarded in special recognition of White Castle’s 100th birthday—allowed him to expand his horizons and earn his undergraduate degree debt-free. A recent graduate of Michigan State University, Cooper is now pursuing a master’s in public administration at Wayne State University and hopes to find a career that allows him to explore his interests in criminal justice and public policy.
“The scholarship allowed me to go to school and get an education stress-free,” explained Cooper. “It also reassured me that the company really cares.”
In 2024, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation approved more than $4.3 million in grants and scholarships, a single-year record since its inception. To Shannon, who also serves as the Secretary of the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, this milestone represents a caring, giving community in action.
“As a family-owned business, we’re grateful that Billy decided to move to Columbus in 1934,” said Shannon. “Through collaboration, everybody is working together to move our city forward and support the community as much as we can.”
Since the first Supporting Foundation was established at The Columbus Foundation in 1976, more than $1 billion has been collectively granted to support programs and causes in central Ohio and beyond.