Church's Chicken® Announces Class Of 2016 Church's® Scholars, Awards $225,000 In Scholarships For College-Bound Students

ATLANTA, June 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Church's Chicken^® is helping 225 high school seniors get a wing up on their college education by awarding them each with a $1,000 scholarship. The Church's Scholars Program is now in its third year and spans over 16 states, where the brand has a presence. Church's Partners Foundation, Inc. oversees this program that recognizes students for their educational merit. Scholarships may be used toward college tuitions during the 2016-2017 academic year at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational/trade school in the United States.

"As the cost of higher education increases, the Church's Scholars Program makes college more attainable for students," said Ed Brett, President, Church's Partners Foundation, Inc. "Our Foundation and the Church's brand stands firmly behind our commitment to the education and empowerment of those who reside in the communities that we serve."

In 2016, more than 15,000 students applied for the $225,000 in scholarships. The application process was open for high school seniors at the start of the calendar year. Students had to demonstrate key achievements to be considered for funding, including grade point average, work experience, and involvement in extracurricular school and community activities.

Through the generous support of participating company and franchise Church's Chicken^® restaurants, the Church's Partners Foundation was able to increase scholarship funding by more than 28 percent this year. A primary generator of funding is the annual Church's in-restaurant Scholars coupon book promotion in which participating restaurants provide a coupon booklet filled with Church's value to any guest who donates $1 at checkout. Additional funds are supplemented by direct contributions from company employees, franchisees and vendors.

The scope of the Church's Scholars Program also focuses inward to the Church's organization and provides scholarships for team members who are pursuing a college degree.

For more information about Church's Chicken and other community programs that the company supports, visit www.churchs.com.

About Church's Partners Foundation, Inc.

Founded in Atlanta, GA in 2007, Church's Partners Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) public charity.  Its mission is to provide support and assistance to the employees and franchisees of Church's Chicken and Texas Chicken®, their families and the communities in which they live.  Programs include the Church's Scholars Program which provides $1,000 scholarships to eligible applicants.  In 2015, the program won the International Franchise Association's Educational Foundation's "Newcomer Award" for the $175,000 in scholarships raised that year. For more information, visit www.churchspartners.org.

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 www.churchs.com. Follow Church's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at www.twitter.com/churchschicken. 

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SOURCE Church's Chicken