Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry™ Sweeps The Country With A Record 8,200 Restaurants In Fundraisers' Fifth Year

From September 16-22, everyone can help end childhood hunger in America just by dining out at participating restaurants.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Share Our Strength's Dine Out for No Kid Hungry™, a week-long fundraiser to help end childhood hunger in the U.S., invites America to share its strength by dining out at any of thousands of participating restaurants September 16-22.

In its fifth year, the annual event has garnered a record-high level of support from restaurants nationwide that understand the urgency of ending childhood hunger in America.  These restaurants create their own way to raise funds—including popular promotions in which customers receive discount coupons in exchange for a minimum donation to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry® campaign.  Participating No Kid Hungry restaurants include Arby's, Benchmarc Restaurants  by Marc Murphy, Bruegger's Bagels, Denny's, Corner Bakery Cafe, Fuddrucker's, Joe's Crab Shack, La Madeleine, Legal Sea Foods, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Shari's Restaurant and Pies, Ted's Montana Grill, Togo's and many more.  All participating restaurants are easily found on the zip-code searchable map at www.DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

Co-Founder Debbie Shore: "This matters."
"This is our fifth year of Dine Out For No Kid Hungry, and we've set some pretty high goals because millions of kids need our help," said Debbie Shore, co-founder of Share Our Strength.

"The good news is that we have the solution. Kids aren't hungry because America has a lack of food or a lack of programs.  They are hungry because too often there are barriers that make it hard for kids to participate.  We are working to eliminate those barriers so that all children have access to the healthy foods they need. That's why it's so important for everyone to dine out for No Kid Hungry this September 16-22. There are more than 8,200 restaurants to choose from, and they've all come together to help us raise $5 million to help end childhood hunger in America."

Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is part of a month-long hunger awareness campaign by Share Our Strength and other hunger-relief organizations.  One in five children in this country struggle with hunger. These children have a harder time concentrating in school and are likely to get sick more often. When children get the food they need, they feel better, learn more and grow up stronger. Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry raises funds critically needed to support the No Kid Hungry campaign which is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting kids in need with nutritious food and teaching their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. 

Making it Social
Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is meant to be a social experience where friends and family can gather to make a difference together while doing something they enjoy: dining out. Here are a few ways they can share that joyful experience:

• Invite friends, family, co-workers, business and social associates to gather at participating restaurants September 16-22.
• Take photos of the social experience, the restaurant and its staff, and share them on social media to encourage others to join the fun and Dine Out For No Kid Hungry.
• Watch us build a photo mosaic from incoming photos, at Facebook.com/nokidhungry.
• Join the September 17 Dine Out For No Kid Hungry twEAT OUT by sending these Tweets: 
  • Dine out this week and support ending childhood hunger. Find a restaurant near you http://ow.ly/d1nTO #NoKidHungry
  • Ditch the dishes! @Dine_Out and help end childhood hunger in America. #NoKidHungry http://ow.ly/d1nTO

About Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry^™ 
Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry^™ is a national fundraising event that brings together thousands of restaurants and millions of consumers to help make sure no child in America grows up hungry.  Every September, participating restaurants raise funds in a variety of ways to support the No Kid Hungry^® campaign to end childhood hunger in America. Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is nationally sponsored by Sysco, American Express, Ecolab, ONEHOPE Wine, SCA, Food Network, Clear Channel and the National Restaurant Association. Visit DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

Contact: Cate Puzo
Phone: 202.649.4357 (office); 202.236.7125 (cell)
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Share Our Strength's Dine Out for No Kid Hungry