With Dunkin' Donuts, Support for the Troops is in the Bag: Purchase Two One-Pound Bags of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee, and Dunkin' Donuts Franchisees Donate Another to the USO

CANTON, Mass., Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With Veterans Day approaching, Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, every day stop for coffee and baked goods, and the USO have brewed up an easy and meaningful way to show support for United States troops. Beginning today and continuing through November 14, for every purchase of two one-pound bags of Dunkin' Donuts' packaged coffee from any participating restaurant or online at www.DunkinDonuts.com, Dunkin' Donuts franchisees will donate an additional one-pound bag to the USO.  Over the two-week program, Dunkin' Donuts will donate up to 100,000 pounds of coffee, which will be delivered to USO centers that serve millions of troops and their families.  

The Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation, whose mission is to serve the basic needs of our communities through food for the hungry, safety and children's health, today also announced an $82,500 grant to support the USO's mission to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to troops and their families.

The USO operates approximately 90 centers in the United States that provide programs and services for servicemen and women and their families. USO centers offer free Internet and e-mail access, prepaid international phone cards, entertainment and lounge areas, libraries, travel assistance, and will soon offer America's favorite coffee.

"Dunkin' Donuts has a long history of honoring America's servicemen and women, and we are proud to continue our tradition of supporting the troops through our new partnership with the USO," said John Costello, Chief Global Customer and Marketing Officer at Dunkin' Brands. "By donating a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee every time our guests purchase two pounds in our restaurants or online, we are making it easy for people to help keep our troops running, while joining us in celebrating the men and women who give selflessly to our country."

Dunkin' Donuts has donated more than 150,000 pounds of coffee to troops deployed overseas since May 2003.  The company holds a monthly lottery to randomly select at least 50 United States military members to receive one case of Dunkin' Donuts coffee.  During the holiday season, Dunkin' Brands corporate employees also send additional pounds of coffee to the troops.

"We greatly appreciate the commitment shown by Dunkin' Donuts and its franchisees to lift the spirits of troops and their families with a donation of their famous coffee," said Sloan Gibson, USO president.  "With Veterans Day approaching, it's an excellent time to remember and support the sacrifices that our troops make for this country throughout the year."

For more information, visit www.dunkindonuts.com/troops. To learn more about Dunkin' Donuts, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for four years running. The company has more than 9,000 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2009, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales totaled $5.7 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

About The Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation

The Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation brings together a wide network of stakeholders, including franchisees, crew members and employees. The focus of the Foundation is to serve our neighborhoods by taking care of their basic needs – safety, hunger relief and children's health.

About the USO

The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide.  We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen. 

The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors.  In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners: American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381).  To join us in this patriotic mission and to learn more about the USO, please visit www.uso.org.

SOURCE Dunkin' Donuts