BOSTON PIZZA CELEBRATES A QUARTER CENTURY OF FUNDRAISING WITH RETURN OF KIDS CARDS

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Aug. 31, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Starting today, Kids Cards are back at Boston Pizza for a limited time. For a minimum $5 donation to Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects, guests receive a Kids Card which can be redeemed for five free Kids meals. Each donation makes an impact on the lives of children across Canada through the work the Foundation and its partners do in helping kids access role models and mentors. The popular fundraiser has generated over $3.8 million in donations since it began in 2006.

"It's a busy time of year for families who are looking for a fun place to eat with delicious food at a good value, and the Kids Cards program delivers on all of these fronts," says Steve Silverstone, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Boston Pizza. "Kids Cards are also a great way to support mentoring and role modeling programs as all $5 goes directly to the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects."

Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects partners with organizations that help kids reach their full potential including Big Brothers Big Sisters, JDRF, Kids Help Phone, Live Different and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

"It's amazing to think that in the 25 years since the launch of the Boston Pizza Foundation, more than $20 million has been raised and donated to charities in communities across Canada and around the world. This year, our goal is to raise more than $730,000 with the Kids Cards program," says Cheryl Treliving, Executive Director of Boston Pizza Foundation. "We are grateful to all of our guests across Canada for their ongoing support and donations."

Through the generous support of guests across Canada, Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects has helped to extend and expand Big Brothers Big Sisters' mentoring services into new communities and to youth who previously had no access to mentoring; funded the development of an artificial pancreas and the youth ambassador program through JDRF Canada which provides mentorship to young people living with type 1 diabetes; allowed Kids Help Phone to add adult tools and resources and youth online content to their website; helped Live Different to inspire over a million students in Canada; and allowed the Rick Hansen Foundation to reach more youth so that over 500,000 students across the country each year can learn about inclusion for people with disabilities.

Boston Pizza Kids Cards are available for purchase in store and online from August 31 to October 11. As an extra bonus, guests can register their Kids Card on their MyBP account to receive a sixth free kids meal.

About Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects

Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects was established in 2014 to raise funds and awareness for organizations that provide kids in Canada with role models and mentoring programs. BPF Future Prospects is proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kids Help Phone, Live Different, JDRF and the Rick Hansen Foundation. Since its inception in 1990, the Boston Pizza Foundation has raised and donated more than $20 million to directly improve the health and well-being of children and families.

About Boston Pizza

Boston Pizza International Inc. is Canada's No. 1 casual dining brand with more than 360 restaurants in Canada and more than $1 billion in sales. Annually, Boston Pizza serves more than 40 million guests. The company has been recognized as a Platinum Member of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies. Boston Pizza believes that strong role models inspire kids to be great, and in 2014, the Boston Pizza Foundation created Future Prospects to help support organizations that mentor kids to reach their full potential. Boston Pizza International Inc. is located in Richmond, B.C. and has regional offices in Mississauga, Ontario and Laval, Quebec. For more information, visit www.bostonpizza.com.

For more information, please contact: Perry Schwartz Director of Communications, Boston Pizza International 905-361-3616 Alexandra Peco 416-644-2298