DALLAS, Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2002 a handful
of Chili's® Grill & Bar restaurants in Memphis, Tenn. put their big passion for
giving back behind what seemed like a small idea at the time –
raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®. With only
crayons and chili-pepper shaped coloring sheets as a way for guests
to donate, the team members hoped to raise a few hundred dollars.
More than $14,000 later, they
realized they were on to something big. Now what began as a
seven-restaurant fundraiser has become a national fundraising
campaign, taking place at more than 1,200 Chili's every September
as part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
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This year marks the tenth anniversary of the partnership between
Chili's and St. Jude, which is leading the way the world
understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly
diseases. Thanks to the relentless support of guests and team
members, Chili's has raised $46
million to date and is on track to reach or exceed the
brand's extraordinary commitment of donating $50 million to the hospital in 10 years – the
largest donation from a single-partner campaign in St. Jude
history. These critical funds will help ensure that no family ever
receives a bill from St. Jude.
In celebration of the 10-year milestone and to encourage new
guests to give back to the cause through their local restaurant,
Chili's is putting a fresh spin on the campaign's name. Formerly
known as "Create-A-Pepper," Chili's More Hope Campaign for St.
Jude extends the brand's current anthem of sharing moments of
More Life Happens HereSM with family and friends beyond
the table and into the community.
"The dedication and passion of our guests and team members over
the years has brought a great sense of hope to the patients and
families of St. Jude, and this hope only gets stronger with each
year of the campaign," said Wyman
Roberts, CEO and president of Brinker International and
president of Chili's Grill & Bar. "Whether it's team members
proudly displaying their intricately-designed campaign T-shirts,
parents of a St. Jude patient letting their inner child come out by
decorating a signature chili-pepper shaped coloring sheet, or
guests sharing how they gave back with their social network, these
are the special moments that – no matter what the name – the
Chili's and St. Jude partnership is all about."
Now through Sept. 25, guests at
participating Chili's restaurants nationwide and in Puerto Rico can help in the fight against
childhood cancer and other deadly diseases by donating at their
local restaurant. With some favorite campaign traditions, like slap
bands, and new components, such as a feature dessert, participating
in the More Hope Campaign is as easy as spelling C-H-I-L-I-S:
- Color the brand's signature chili-pepper shaped
coloring sheet for a donation of the guest's choice.
- Hashtag #MoreHope on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and Pinterest posts to engage with the brand online and show your
support for St. Jude.
- Indulge the tastebuds with Chili's new feature
dessert, Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten topped with Reese's® Peanut Butter Cup pieces. This marks
the first year Chili's has designated a menu item for the campaign
with 30 cents from every feature
dessert ordered going directly to St.
Jude.
- Look the part by purchasing a ready-to-color
T-shirt featuring the More Hope Campaign logo for $12*.
- Invite family and friends to dine at Chili's
Monday, Sept. 23 on Donate Profits
Day, when 100 percent of net profits from participating restaurants
nationwide will go to St. Jude.
- Snap a MORE HOPE slap band on the wrist to show
support for St. Jude. Slap bands can be purchased in-restaurant for
$4*.
*62 percent of the purchase price of each T-shirt and
70 percent of the purchase price of each Slap Band sold will be
donated to St. Jude.
"This year, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Chili's
Grill & Bar celebrate a great milestone - the fulfillment of a
10-year commitment to raise $50
million to help further the research and treatment of deadly
childhood diseases," said Richard Shadyac
Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"Chili's continues to be an incredible partner raising invaluable
awareness and funds for our mission. We look forward to this year's
campaign and honor their efforts by continuing to do everything
possible to end childhood cancer and other deadly diseases."
To learn more about the More Hope Campaign, visit
morehope.chilis.com. Guests can also stay in-the-know by following
the brand on Facebook or joining Chili's Email Club.
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Since opening more than 50 years ago, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital has changed the way the world treats childhood
cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family ever pays St.
Jude for the care their child receives and, for every child treated
here, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude
discoveries. The hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing U.S.
pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent overall, and
is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated
Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. It is also
a leader in the research and treatment of blood disorders and
infectious diseases in children. St. Jude was founded by the late
entertainer Danny Thomas, who
believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. Join that
mission by visiting stjude.org or following us on
facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.
About Chili's Grill & Bar
Chili's® Grill & Bar is the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc.
(NYSE: EAT), a recognized leader in casual dining. Chili's offers a
variety of Southwestern-inspired, classic American favorites at
nearly 1,600 locations in 33 countries and two territories. In
addition to Chili's, Brinker owns and operates Maggiano's Little
Italy®.
At Chili's, More Life Happens HereSM around every
table, every day, at every Chili's across the country. Guests are
encouraged to share their stories of More Life Happening at their
restaurant by connecting with the brand on Chili's blog
(blog.chilis.com), Facebook (http://facebook.com/chilis), Twitter
(http://twitter.com/chilis), YouTube (http://youtube.com/chilis)
and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/chilis). For more brand-related
information, please visit http://www.chilis.com.
Editor's note: Electronic press kit containing
downloadable, high-res images and videos, patients' stories,
Chili's and all campaign-related press materials can be found at
http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63083-chili-s-more-hope-for-st-jude-2013.
SOURCE Chili's Grill & Bar