DALLAS, Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- This September's
National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month marked the 10-year
anniversary of the partnership between Chili's® Grill & Bar and
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, and guests and team members
as well as St. Jude families and friends made this year's campaign
one for the record books. With the conclusion of Chili's More
Hope Campaign for St. Jude Wednesday,
Sept. 25, the brand reached the extraordinary commitment of
raising more than $50 million for St.
Jude – the largest donation from a single-partner campaign in the
hospital's history.
Heading into the 2013 campaign, Chili's was just shy of reaching
the $50 million milestone, but the
$4 million goal proved no match to
the passion and persistence of campaign supporters. Guests and team
members once again rallied together throughout the month of
September to raise more than $4.9
million, ensuring Chili's promise was met and St. Jude could
continue leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats
childhood cancer and other deadly diseases.
"At Chili's, we say 'More Life Happens HereSM,' and
more life truly happens within the halls of St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital thanks to countless doctors, nurses and staff who
provide exceptional care for children fighting deadly diseases
every day," said Wyman Roberts, CEO
and president of Brinker International and president of Chili's
Grill & Bar. "I could not be more proud of our restaurant team
members and more appreciative of our guests whose generosity over
the past 10 years helps the hospital continue its lifesaving work
and provides more than $50 million
worth of hope to St. Jude patients and families."
Every September, Chili's restaurants across the country as well
as in Puerto Rico offer a number
of in-restaurant and online giving opportunities designed to raise
funds for St. Jude. To date, throughout the campaign's history,
guests and team members have:
- Colored approximately 16.3 million signature
chili-pepper shaped coloring sheets;
- Designed more than 550,000 ready-to-color T-shirts
featuring the campaign logo; and
- Purchased more than 465,000 campaign wrist bands to show
support for St. Jude.
"Chili's generosity and support over the past 10 years is
helping St. Jude to lead the way the world understands, treats and
defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases," said
Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of
ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "We are incredibly
grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication of Chili's team members
and guests who are helping to further our mission of finding cures
and saving children around the world."
To learn more about the multiple ways guests give back during
the More Hope Campaign, visit morehope.chilis.com.
Video
http://bcove.me/w3df1mt2
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.
Video with caption: "St. Jude has 50 million reasons to say
'thanks' to Chili's and their guests." Video available at:
http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-MM01359-20131022.mp4
SOURCE Chili's Grill & Bar