Church's Chicken Expands Education Initiative

    ATLANTA, GA, March 31, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- One in five children in America struggles with hunger, not knowing when their next meal may come. Church's Chicken is hoping to make significant strides against that figure by raising money to help feed hundreds of thousands of children alongside No Kid Hungry - a campaign of the national nonprofit Share Our Strength. From March 28th to April 24th, Church's Chicken will donate $1 from every "Sweet Start" Meal to support the efforts of No Kid Hungry nationwide. Guests who donate $1 to No Kid Hungry and the fight on childhood hunger will receive a Church's coupon booklet valued at over $15 in savings, with 100% of proceeds going to No Kid Hungry.

With hunger being one of the key distractors to young people focusing during morning class, Church's aligned with the No Kid Hungry initiative to help children enter their classrooms well nourished.

"When we're enjoying a hot meal, we often take for granted how many children are without regular access to food in this country," said Georgia Margeson, Senior Director of Advertising at Church's Chicken. "It's important to us at Church's to do what we can to make a difference for the communities we serve. No Kid Hungry has an excellent track record of connecting people - especially children - with the meals they need. For every $1 received in donations, No Kid Hungry is able to provide as many as 10 meals to hungry children through local partnerships and access programs where kids live, learn and play."

The coupon booklets that will be offered for No Kid Hungry offer similar savings to the discount program offered during the Fall as a fundraiser for the Church's Scholars Program, which offers scholarships to deserving young people in many of the communities the brand serves. This year alone, the brand is awarding 175 scholarships to graduating seniors. Church's Partners Foundation, Inc. established a scholarship program to assist high school seniors residing in 18 eligible states who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs. Scholarships are offered each year for part-time or full-time study at an accredited U.S. institution of the student's choice.

"Our customers are passionate about supporting access to academic education for their children. They also love a great value. This coupon booklet serves both these passions," said Mark Snyder, Global Chief Marketing Officer and architect of the fundraising program. "For Church's, it allows us to extend the spectrum of whom we reach today. Our goal is to begin support at the point where kids would be most at risk in the neighborhoods we serve, assist them in getting a solid start in school, and stay with them through high school and into college."

"Our partners are the cornerstone of our organization," shared Billy Shore, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Share Our Strength. "Such alliances allow us to expand our reach even further and make a difference in the lives of children facing hunger. Nationwide promotions assist not only in raising funds but also awareness. Together, we can make we can make No Kid Hungry a reality."

The "Sweet Start" Meal includes 12 of Church's new Honey-Butter Biscuit Tender Strips , two large sides, four honey-butter biscuits and a ½ gallon of sweet tea for $19.99, with a full dollar going directly to No Kid Hungry. Available in select cities nationwide, the meal deal will be available between March 28th and April 24th at participating locations, while supplies last. Restaurants will also be offering coupon savings booklets containing more than $15 in savings, giving guests the opportunity to donate $1, which goes entirely to the No Kid Hungry effort. Church's will also be conducting staff programs to add to donations in the hopes of reaching a $150,000 total fundraising goal.

"If we reach our goal, Church's and its customers will have successfully provided around 1.5 million meals to hungry kids across America. I think that's an accomplishment we can all get behind," added Margeson.

About Church's Chicken
Founded in San Antonio, TX in 1952 by George W. Church, Church's Chicken is one of the largest quick service restaurant chicken chains in the world. Church's specializes in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church's (along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside the Americas) has more than 1,650 locations in 25 countries and international territories and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information, visit http://www.churchs.com. Follow Church's on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/churchschicken.

About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 5 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

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