-Chili's seeks to raise funds for its unprecedented $50 million, 10-year pledge to St. Jude-
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when many nonprofits are seeing donations decline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital((R)) is receiving a boost from Chili's((R)) Grill & Bar thanks to the launch of the sixth annual Create-A-Pepper to Fight Childhood Cancer campaign. Now through Sept. 30, Chili's restaurants around the country will observe National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by inviting guests to support the St. Jude mission to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases through research and treatment.
Guests at participating Chili's restaurants can contribute to St. Jude in multiple ways:
- Make a donation to St. Jude and receive a Create-A-Pepper chili pepper coloring sheet. Decorated sheets will be displayed in restaurants nationwide throughout September.
- Purchase Create-A-Pepper T-shirts that can be customized with permanent marker.
- Buy a customized Create-A-Pepper key that can be cut for use at home or the office.
- Eat at Chili's on Monday, Sept. 28, when Chili's will donate 100 percent of profits from participating restaurant sales to St. Jude.
- Visit www.createapepper.com to make an online donation.
"Each year the Chili's Create-A-Pepper campaign inspires Chili's guests to support St. Jude, and we are so thankful to have such generous and enthusiastic partners in our mission," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., Chief Executive Officer of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. "We are so grateful that we can depend on Chili's support, and we appreciate every dollar given by their guests to help continue finding the cures and providing the treatments that will save children's lives."
"We are excited about our commitment to St. Jude and our team members look forward to Create-A-Pepper every year," said Todd Diener, president of Chili's Grill & Bar. "Chili's considers ourselves part of the communities we serve, and communities band together in tough times. Particularly during these trying economic times, it's more important than ever to assist children and families with the inability to pay so they can get the medical attention they need."
To date, Chili's has raised $25 million of its $50 million over 10 years commitment to St. Jude. Once completed, the donation will be the largest donation from a single partner campaign in St. Jude history.
Chili's and St. Jude's relationship goes beyond fundraising, however. In November 2007, the two celebrated a significant milestone in their partnership with the opening of the Chili's Care Center.
