American Greetings Properties and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Launch Third Annual National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Campaign with Strawberry Shortcake™

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- American Greetings Properties, the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM), and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to finding cures for all kids with cancer, are once again teaming up for a berry special campaign this September in support of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Pop culture icon Strawberry Shortcake™ is enlisting families across the country to host Strawberry Shortcake Alex's Lemonade Stands to raise funds and awareness for the cause. The campaign, now in its third year, has raised more than $150,000 in support of research projects dedicated to finding a cure for all kids with cancer.

Over 1,000 volunteers across the country have taken part in the Strawberry Shortcake Alex's Lemonade Stands including Emmy-nominated actress Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) who hosted her own stand with her family in Los Angeles. Families can sign up to host Strawberry Shortcake Alex's Lemonade Stands during the month of September at http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/strawberry-shortcake.

Volunteers will be provided with Strawberry Shortcake kits that include vouchers for strawberry lemonade and branded materials to make their lemonade stand "stand" apart. In addition to the funds raised, American Greetings Properties will donate $50 to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for the first 300 stands registered in September which will go toward research of the disease that affects over 12,000 children in the United States each year.  

"We are very happy to be partnering Strawberry Shortcake with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for the third year in a row and look forward to making this September bigger than ever," said Gabrielle Oliff, vice president brand and marketing for American Greetings Properties. "Strawberry Shortcake is all about proving that little girls can do big things and Alex Scott and our young strawberry lemonade stand hosts around the country have done just that and made a real difference in the world."

"Each year we strive to raise the profile of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to elevate September to the same status that other awareness months have attained," said Liz Scott, co-executive director of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Alex's mom. "We have been honored to have the continuing support of Strawberry Shortcake in helping us to achieve that mission and are thrilled to once again team up to help fight kids' cancer during an integral time for the childhood cancer community."

Strawberry Shortcake debuted in 1980 as a line of social expressions products, as well as toys, videos, games, crafts and books. The character quickly catapulted from being a little girl with a mop of red yarn curls into superstardom. Since 2002 the property generated more than $4 billion in worldwide retail sales and sold 5 million small dolls. Now a whole new generation of young girls and their moms are rediscovering the freckle face little girl. Strawberry Shortcake is currently the star of her own television series, Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures, which is one of the highest rated programs on The Hub television network for girls ages 2-5. For more information on Strawberry Shortcake, visit www.strawberryshortcake.com or www.facebook.com/StrawberryShortcake.

About American Greetings Corporation
For more than 100 years, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a creator and manufacturer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships to create happiness, laughter and love.  The Company's major greeting card lines are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings and Papyrus, and other paper product offerings include DesignWare party goods and American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards.  American Greetings also has one of the largest collections of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com through AG Interactive, Inc. (the Company's online division).  In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group.  Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.7 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets worldwide. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.

About American Greetings Properties
American Greetings Properties (AGP) is the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation.  Built upon the successful re-launches of Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake licensed products, which have garnered over $5 billion in retail sales worldwide combined since 2002, AGP develops multi-platform campaigns for its properties through digital media, entertainment, marketing and merchandising.  In addition to Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake, AGP's active classic brands include Holly Hobbie and Madballs, as well as new properties Twisted Whiskers, Maryoku Yummy and TinPo.  Children can experience AGP online at www.agkidzone.com. For more information on AGP, visit www.agpbrands.com.

About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $55 million towards fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 250 research projects nationally.

SOURCE American Greetings Corporation