To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Ted’s Montana Grill restaurants, the company, led by Ted Turner and George McKerrow, announced today that it has made a historic pledge to raise $150,000 in 2012 for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to help end childhood hunger in America.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Ted’s Montana Grill was founded in 2002 and opened its first restaurant that year in Columbus, Ohio. Today, the restaurant company has 44 restaurants operating in 16 states.
The No Kid Hungry fundraising effort kicks off today in all the Ted’s Montana Grill restaurants. For every guest donation of $2 or more, now through April 8, the restaurants will give each guest a special Ted’s $2 bill good toward their next visit.
The company is planning a second phase of the fundraising campaign for this summer, and in September it will join Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry, a national program that involves thousands of restaurants around the country in raising funds to support No Kid Hungry. Last year, the campaign raised nearly $2.4 million.
“Ten years ago when we first opened our doors, we set out to create a restaurant experience that captured the spirit and hospitality of the Great American West,” says co-founder McKerrow, who also serves as the company’s CEO.
“As our 10th anniversary neared, we wanted to share our Big Sky Spirit by celebrating in a really special way, and do something that would have a lasting impact on future generations. We found the ideal partner in No Kid Hungry, a cause we’ve supported in smaller ways for the last several years.”
Over the course of one year, more than 16 million children in America cannot count on having enough nutritious food. That’s one in five kids in this country struggling with hunger. The No Kid Hungry campaign catalyzes innovative coalitions among governors, mayors, businesses, chefs, teachers, and community leaders across the country to connect families at risk of hunger with the programs that can help them.
No Kid Hungry also combines access with education by teaching families how to cook healthy, affordable meals through the Cooking Matters program. According to Share Our Strength, every $1 donation connects a child to 10 meals.
“We’re so proud to partner with Ted’s Montana Grill for their 10th anniversary year and help them celebrate in such a worthy way,” says Bill Shore, Share Our Strength founder and CEO. “They are truly a role model for others and their support will help make a difference in the lives of thousands of children across this country.”
“Our team members have taken the No Kid Hungry Pledge to end childhood hunger in America, and we encourage our supporters and guests to visit NoKidHungry.org and join us in this important effort,” says McKerrow.
