U.S. Fund For UNICEF Announces Winners Of 2014 Pier 1 Imports®/UNICEF Greeting Card Contest

Four-Year-Old Grand Prize Winner One of Youngest in Contest History

NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF today announced the winners of the annual Pier 1 Imports^®/UNICEF greeting card contest. Four-year-old Robbie from California was named this year's Grand Prize Winner for the theme, "Joyous Celebration," and is one of the youngest winners since the contest's inception in 1992. Robbie's design will be reproduced as an official UNICEF greeting card and will be sold exclusively at Pier 1 Imports stores nationwide and on pier1.com during the 2014 holiday season. The pre-K student will also receive a $5,000 scholarship and $500 worth of art supplies for his school.

The Sixth Annual U.S. Fan's Choice Award was presented to Samantha, a third-grader from Illinois. Samantha will be the recipient of $500 in art supplies.

"Pier 1 Imports is a beloved partner of ours, and the annual greeting card contest is a creative way to help raise awareness among the youth in America as to what children around the world must face each day just to survive," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "We are truly grateful for Pier 1's support and look forward to a continued collaborative partnership for years to come."

About the winning artwork:

• Robbie's Grand Prize-winning piece depicts a "happy snowman" with a green scarf and an orange hat.
• Samantha's U.S. Fan's Choice Award picture was inspired by the woodland animals in her yard, and she decided to "show the love of family through them."

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of all UNICEF cards sold at U.S. Pier 1 Imports stores and on pier1.com during the 2014 holiday season will go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support UNICEF programs in more than 190 countries. These programs provide lifesaving medicines, vaccines, nutritious foods, primary education, clean water and sanitation, and emergency relief to help reduce the number of daily preventable deaths in children under the age of 5 from 18,000 to ZERO.

Pier 1 Imports began selling UNICEF greeting cards in 1985. During its successful 29-year partnership, Pier 1 Imports has raised more than $32 million for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. The final proceeds of UNICEF greeting cards sold at Pier 1 Imports during the 2013 holiday season will be announced in the coming weeks.

ABOUT UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and improve children's lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when zero children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood.

ABOUT PIER 1 IMPORTS
Pier 1 Imports, Inc. is the original global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. Information about the Company is available on www.pier1.com.

* The U.S. Fan's Choice Award winner is determined by visitors to the Pier 1 Imports website, www.pier1.com, who are given the opportunity to vote for their favorite design out of 10 semifinalists.

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF