Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out® Returns September 19 - 25, 2010

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Sep 13, 2010, 10:40 ET

Restaurants Across the Country Host Week-Long National Dine Out Event to End Childhood Hunger in America

Food Network Star Aaron McCargo, Jr. Returns as National Spokesperson

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out® returns this September with over 4,000 participating restaurants. The Great American Dine Out is an annual national week-long event that brings together restaurants and consumers across the country in the fight to end childhood hunger in America. In its third year, Great American Dine Out mobilizes the entire restaurant industry, from coffee shops and casual eateries to independent restaurants and fine dining and has raised close to $2 million since its inception.

During the week of September 19-25, thousands of restaurants nationwide will join together to raise funds through menu promotions, customer donations and cause marketing programs for No Kid Hungry™, Share Our Strength's national campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Consumers are invited to do their part in ending childhood hunger by "dining out" at participating restaurants.

Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. of Food Network's "Big Daddy's House" returns as the official spokesperson for the 2010 Great American Dine Out. "This is the best time to take your family out for a special meal," said McCargo. "The more we dine out the week of September 19th to the 25th, the more we help those kids who need it most. Please join me and Dine Out – let's make No Kid Hungry a reality."

Nearly 17 million kids in America face hunger. That's almost one of every four kids growing up today who worry where their next meal will come from. Through national programs such as the Great American Dine Out, Share Our Strength is raising the critical funds necessary to connect families to food. Each year, the restaurant industry and millions of consumers have steered the Great American Dine Out to make it more successful than the last. This year, Great American Dine Out intends to raise $1.1 million.

Some of the restaurants participating this year include Joe's Crabshack, Corner Bakery Cafe, McAlister's Deli, Boston Market, T.G.I. Friday's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Taco Bueno, The Palm Restaurants, Legal Seafoods, P.F. Chang's and First Watch. For a searchable map of participating restaurants in your area, please visit: www.GreatAmericanDineOut.org.

About Great American Dine Out®

Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out® is a national, week-long event that brings together thousands of restaurants and millions of consumers to help make sure there is no kid hungry in America. From September 19-25, 2010, participating restaurants representing the entire industry—from coffee shops to fine dining—raise funds in a variety of ways to support the No Kid Hungry Campaign™, Share Our Strength's national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out is nationally sponsored by Sysco, American Express, Ecolab, Jacob's Creek, USA Today and the National Restaurant Association. Visit GreatAmericanDineOut.org.

About Share Our Strength®

Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through its No Kid Hungry Campaign™—a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015—Share Our Strength ensures children in need are enrolled in effective federal nutrition programs, invests in community organizations fighting hunger, teaches families how to cook healthy meals on a budget, and builds public-private partnerships to end hunger, both nationally and at the state level. Working closely with the culinary industry and relying on the strength of its volunteers, Share Our Strength hosts innovative culinary fundraising events and develops pioneering cause marketing campaigns that support No Kid Hungry.