Press Room
April 04, 2008
Friendly's Dishes Out $616,000 for Easter Seals| Contacts: |
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Kristen Barnfield
Gillian Begin |
FRIENDLY’S DISHES OUT $616,000 FOR EASTER SEALS
Announces 2008 Campaign Results that Help Children and Adults with Disabilities
Chicago (April 4, 2008) – Friendly Ice Cream Corporation today announced results of its 27th annual ‘Cones for Kids’ Valentine’s Day fundraiser to benefit Easter Seals. Since the conclusion of last year’s campaign, Friendly’s Restaurants have raised just over $616,000 to help children and adults with disabilities in 16 states. Most of those dollars were raised during the chain-wide ‘Cones for Kids’ program, while a few communities held additional fundraisers to top off the amount. This year’s success brings Friendly’s overall total raised for Easter Seals to more than $25.2 million since 1981.
‘Cones for Kids’ is a 27-year tradition that makes a real-life difference,” said George Condos, chief executive officer and president of Friendly Ice Cream Corporation. “We are proud of our corporate responsibility to give back to the communities we serve. Our partnership with Easter Seals allows us to do just that, through the funding of localized disability services for people of all ages.”
Each year, the money raised through ‘Cones for Kids’ helps Easter Seals provide such comprehensive programs and services as medical rehabilitation, assistive technology, inclusive child care, adult day centers, and even camping and recreation for children and adults living with autism and other disabilities.
“After all these years, I continue to be amazed by Friendly’s commitment to Easter Seals and enthusiasm for children and adults with disabilities,” said James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer, Easter Seals. “One in five people throughout the country have some type of disability. Friendly’s ‘Cones for Kids’ campaign gives a gift of independence to many of the real children and adults that make up that statistic.”
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is a vertically integrated restaurant company serving signature sandwiches, entrees and ice cream desserts in a friendly, family environment in more than 505 company and franchised restaurants throughout the Northeast. The company also manufactures ice cream, which is distributed through more than 4,000 supermarkets and other retail locations. With a 72-year operating history, Friendly's enjoys strong brand recognition and is currently revitalizing its restaurants and introducing new products to grow its customer base. Additional information on Friendly Ice Cream Corporation can be found at www.friendlys.com.
Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical and mental disabilities, and other special needs. For more than 85 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play in their communities. Support children and adults with disabilities at www.easterseals.com.
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