Lindt Partners With Actress Jennie Garth To Launch Fourth Lindt Gold Bunny Celebrity Auction

STRATHAM, N.H., March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Jennie Garth, actress and mother of three, joins premium Swiss chocolatier Lindt USA to launch the company's fourth Lindt GOLD BUNNY Celebrity Auction. Garth is joined by 96 celebrities -- from Blake Lively, Brad Paisley and Celine Dion -- to help raise funds for the autism cause. Fans can make a difference this Easter season by bidding on any of the celebrity-signed porcelain Lindt GOLD BUNNY figures on LindtGOLDBUNNYAuction.com. The auction is running now through March 15, 2013 and 100 percent of proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks.

"I'm truly excited to help kick off the Lindt GOLD BUNNY Celebrity Auction to raise funds for a cause that affects so many children," said Garth. "As a mother of three daughters, I look forward to special moments in life, and combining our Easter traditions with giving back is the perfect way to celebrate this spring."

Ninety-seven celebrities, including Garth, in the entertainment, food, music and sports industries have lent their signatures to the cause. Participating celebrities include:

• Jason Aldean
• Carmelo Anthony
• Christina Applegate
• Mario Batali
• Lance Berkman
• Mayim Bialik
• Julie Bowen
• Drew Brees
• Robbie Brown
• Cheryl Burke
• Brooke Burke Charvet
• Erika Christensen
• Andy Cohen
• Lauren Conrad
• Bryan Cranston
• Sidney Crosby
• LuAnn de Lesseps
• Celine Dion
• Wylie Dufresne
• Edie Falco
• Dakota Fanning
• Roger Federer
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson
• Marc-Andre Fleury
• Doug Flutie
• Harrison Ford
• Andrew Garfield
• Jennie Garth
• Willie Geist
• Ricky Gervais
• Kathie Lee Gifford
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Melissa Gorga
• Lauren Graham
• Rob Gronkowski
• Savannah Guthrie
• Josh Hamilton
• Alyson Hannigan
• Neil Patrick Harris
• Mariska Hargitay
• Megan Hilty
• Derek Hough
• Kylie Jenner
• Carly Rae Jepsen
• Khloe Kardashian
• Diane Keaton
• Toby Keith
• Jason Kennedy
• Jemima Kirke
• Hoda Kotb
• Mila Kunis
• Padma Lakshmi
• Matt Lauer
• Jaqcueline Laurita
• Cliff Lee
• Jeremy Lin
• Blake Lively
• Evan Longoria
• Jane Lynch
• Misty Mae Treanor
• Peyton Manning
• Joe Mantegna
• Julianna Margulies
• Clay Matthews
• Katharine McPhee
• Maria Menounos
• Natalie Morales
• Jason Mraz
• Craig Nelson
• Norah O'Donnell
• Brad Paisley
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Dustin Pedroia
• Regis Philbin
• Rachael Ray
• Joan Rivers
• Holly Robinson Peete
• Rico Rodriguez
• Al Roker
• Charlie Rose
• Susan Sarandon
• Senator Shaheen
• Dax Shepard
• Brooke Shields
• George Stephanopoulos
• Martha Stewart
• Michael Strahan
• Michael Symon
• Bruno Tonioli
• Donald Trump
• Troy Tulowitzki
• Emily VanCamp
• Kerri Walsh
• Ed Weeks
• Betty White
• Owen Wilson
• Will.i.am         

"Lindt is thrilled to have raised raise more than $600,000 for the autism cause over the course of our five year partnership with Autism Speaks," said Thomas Linemayr, president and CEO of Lindt USA. "We are thankful for strong celebrity community support, which has helped make the auction an overwhelming success. We are especially excited to have Jennie Garth join us this year to launch the Auction and raise even more funds for the cause."

This year marks the fifth year of the Lindt and Autism Speaks partnership.  To continue raising funds and awareness for the autism cause, Lindt is again donating 10 cents from all Lindt GOLD BUNNY purchases* and $1 for every free e-card sent from LindtGOLDBUNNY.com. In celebration of Easter traditions, Lindt will host a Pin 2 Win Lindt GOLD BUNNY Challenge on Pinterest  where consumers can create their own Easter boards. Once 1,000 or more Pinterest users have participated in the challenge, which runs March 11 through March 27, Lindt will donate an additional $10,000 to Autism Speaks.  Additionally, Lindt will donate 5 percent of sales from Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P parties on March 5 and 6, 2013 to Autism Speaks.  In addition, 15 percent of sales from an event at the Lindt Chocolate Shop in Princeton, N.J. on March 12, 2013 will be contributed to the nonprofit.

For more information about the auction, visit LindtGOLDBUNNYAuction.com or LindtGOLDBUNNY.com.  To stay up to date on the latest Lindt news and exclusive offers, visit www.Lindt.com, the Lindt Twitter handle, or the Lindt Facebook page. 

About Lindt & Sprungli
Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 125 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 7,700 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 60 retail stores in the U.S., Lindt Chocolate RSVP, the company's premium direct selling program, and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.

About Autism

Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders – autism spectrum disorders – caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges, as well as repetitive behaviors. An estimated one in 88 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum – a 78 percent increase in six years that is only partly explained by improved diagnosis.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed more than $195 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 100 cities across North America. On the global front, Autism Speaks has established partnerships and related activities in more than 40 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit AutismSpeaks.org.

SOURCE Lindt USA