WILBRAHAM, Mass. - The 3 Guys at the Grill restaurant in Wilbraham started their business over a decade ago, with a catering operation and a goal of giving back to the community.

Later this month, they’ll host their annual scholarship dinner and honor a select few Hampden County students.

They use the money they earn by making affordable pasta meals for local senior citizens to build a scholarship fund for students.

“We always had a surplus of money leftover,” said 3 Guys at the Grill co-owner Bob Granger. “And we were like, ‘Well, you know, this charity thing, we’re not gonna take the money or anything.’ So we kept it in the bank account and then it just started building up and then, ‘We gotta give back to someone.’ That’s when we came up with the idea of high school kids.”

In the past 11 years, the restaurant has given away over a hundred $1,000 scholarships to students.

This year, they’ll host their event for the first time at their new restaurant at the Wilbraham Country Club and will honor students from Minnechaug Regional High, East Longmeadow High School, and Pope Francis Prep high school with scholarships.

“The cost of going to college is so expensive,” said Granger. “If we can do our little part even if it means money so that they can buy a laptop or books or something, it’s something.”

Granger said a committee of five members including educators helps choose the scholarship winners.

It’s a process as they work with high schools on getting applications to students before the team decides on the winners.

​"Each one of us has a worksheet that we grade each application, then we meet and figure out the grades together," Granger said. “And that’s how to choose it, it’s not favoritism. We don’t know anyone. It’s just strictly by the application.”

The 3 Guys at the Grill will host its scholarship dinner on Monday, June 20.

Granger said the plan for the future is to add more local high schools and give away 10 scholarships a year.