American Red Cross Partners with Round It Up America®

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Dec 04, 2012, 09:00 ET

Charitable Donation Program for Restaurants Demonstrates Small Change Can Make a Big Difference in Local Communities and Across the Nation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross joins forces with Round It Up America® (RIUA) in an innovative charitable giving program endorsed by the National Restaurant Association that provides restaurant patrons with the opportunity to "round up" their credit card bill, automatically contributing to Red Cross Disaster Relief and other worthy causes.

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"Round It Up America® shows that when people come together to help, the smallest gifts become a force powerful enough to make a huge difference for those whose lives have been devastated by disaster," said Neal Litvack, Chief Development Officer at the American Red Cross. "Thanks to partnering restaurants in this program and patrons who donate after dining, the Red Cross is able to provide critical disaster relief when and where it's needed most."

Ten percent of all RIUA donations are being allocated to Red Cross Disaster Relief that helps provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to people affected by disasters—natural and man-made—ranging from local home fires to major tornadoes, wildfires, floods and hurricanes that impact communities across the U.S. each and every year.

In 2009, Harald Herrmann, President and CEO of Yard House Restaurants, and Jennifer Weerheim, Vice President of Marketing for Yard House, launched Round It Up America® with Yard House as the first participating restaurant chain. Yard House raised approximately $350,000 in the first full year. Today, there are participating restaurants, termed Mission Partners, in 16 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii, raising an average of $20 a day. Building a national philanthropic movement within the restaurant industry, Round It Up America® is poised to raise millions of dollars for charity.

"We encourage our restaurants and patrons to support Round It Up America® because it's a solution for giving," says Jennifer Weerheim. "We've found that people are more than willing to donate on a micro level, giving just a little, which adds up to a lot over the course of a year. A little truly does go a long way. The heprogram allows us to contribute to causes like the Red Cross that are near and dear to our hearts."

Both RIUA Co-Founders traveled to Joplin, Missouri to donate tornado relief funds last year in-person. And after witnessing Red Cross efforts first hand, they knew then that they wanted to partner with the Red Cross and allocate a percentage of all RIUA donations to Red Cross Disaster Relief.

Recipient charities will receive donations quarterly with some 75 percent of all donations going to Mission Partner-selected charities. Ten percent of all donations automatically benefit American Red Cross Disaster Relief and eight percent support the National Restaurant Association and State Restaurant Association Educational Foundations' ProStart® Programs.

The Red Cross is also administering the program on a national basis, providing the necessary resources to cultivate partners, process gifts and report on the program's success, and will receive an additional four percent of funds for this administrative support.

Restaurant companies with an American presence can obtain information to apply to participate in Round It Up America® via rounditupamerica.org.

Current RIUA Mission Partners (most with multiple locations) include: Yard House Restaurants; Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ; Hof's Hut; Cohn Restaurant Group; Cameron Mitchell Restaurants; Famous Dave's; Rusty Bucket; and Maria's Italian Kitchen. A list of participating locations can be found at rounditupamerica.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

About Round It Up America®
Founded by leaders in the restaurant industry, Harald Herrmann, President and CEO of Yard House Restaurants and Jennifer Weerheim, Vice President of Marketing for Yard House, Round It Up America® (RIUA) is a non-profit organization that strives to make change across America through a simple, yet powerful charitable giving program. Mission Partners – participating RIUA restaurants – provide their patrons with the opportunity to "round up" their purchases to the nearest dollar or more upon the close of credit card sales. Donations are then distributed to charities quarterly. For information about Round It Up America®, visit rounditupamerica.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross