Centerplate Launches "Centerplate Promise" Campaign

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, the leading Event Hospitality partner to North America's top entertainment venues, convention centers and sports franchises, announced today the launch of a national program, The Centerplate Promise, as part of the company's core commitment to support and improve the communities in which Centerplate staff live and work. Building on the success of Centerplate's "Journey Home" initiative, which raised over $300,000 to fight homelessness in Baltimore, The Centerplate Promise will leverage Centerplate's national portfolio of over 250 venues to combat child homelessness nationwide.

The Centerplate Promise will debut with two premier founding partners: the San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. Turning hospitality into hope, one touchdown at a time, the Centerplate Promise has already started raising money just over month into the 2012-2013 football season. The Centerplate Promise works by taking home team touchdowns scored by Centerplate's partner NFL franchises and linking the on-field accomplishments to locally impactful charitable donations which will combat child homelessness.

"Centerplate takes incredible pride in partnering with the local community to make a positive impact on our friends and neighbors – both in and out of the stadium," says Centerplate President and CEO Des Hague. "Having the privilege of working for our NFL partners' incredible fans comes with a responsibility to be a community leader, and the Centerplate Promise is one of our ways of giving back."

At Qualcomm Stadium, where Centerplate serves as the hospitality partner to the San Diego Chargers, The Centerplate Promise will donate $100 for every hometeam touchdown during Chargers home games. The funds will go towards combating child homelessness in San Diego through The Salvation Army's Door of Hope.

"The Chargers have been working with the Salvation Army to help San Diego's homeless for more than 10 years," said A.G. Spanos, Executive Vice President and CEO of the Chargers. "Now it's nice to know that, with Centerplate's help, every touchdown we score at home this year will also help combat child homelessness in San Diego by helping provide two of life's essentials: food and shelter.  We're proud to have Centerplate as a partner of the Chargers."

At Candlestick Park, where Centerplate serves as the hospitality partner to the San Francisco 49ers, The Centerplate Promise will donate $100 for every hometeam touchdown during 49ers home games. The funds will go towards the 49ers/Taube/Koret Foundation's Touchdowns for Kids program, helping at-risk Bay Area youth through the 49ers Foundation's mission to keep kids Safe, on Track, and in School."

"We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with both Centerplate as well as the Taube Family Foundation and the Koret Foundation, as we all share a common goal of providing much needed assistance to our local youth," said 49ers Owner and Co-Chair Denise York.

"Through the Touchdowns for Kids program's creative partnerships, we are excited to align the core values of the 49ers Foundation, to keep kids 'Safe, on Track and in School,' with some remarkable philanthropic organizations. Their generous charitable contribution to very special beneficiaries is commendable and we are honored to be part of this impactful program," added 49ers Owner and Co-Chair John York.

These two founding stadiums are just the start of a national roll out for The Centerplate Promise, which will grow to incorporate a number of Centerplate's 250 venues nationwide.

About Centerplate

Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. Last year, the company was named the fastest growing restaurant/ hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com.

About The San Francisco 49ers Foundation

The San Francisco 49ers Foundation is the non-profit community funding extension of the San Francisco 49ers. Now in its 20^th year, the 49ers Foundation supports development programs for underserved youth that keep them, "Safe, on Track, and in School."  Since its inception, the Foundation has donated over $18 million to support non-profits, including $2.4 million in 2011.

The 49ers, Taube Family and Koret Foundations Touchdowns for Kids Program will benefit the following organizations in 2012:

• 49ers Academy
• Aim High
• Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI)
• BUILD
• Pathways for Kids
• Summer Search

SOURCE Centerplate