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THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY —
Starting today, Applebee’s restaurants across the country have transformed into “lemonade stands,” in celebration of Applebee’s annual fundraising campaign with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding pediatric cancer research and family support programs. Now through Aug. 21, Applebee’s invites guests to join in the fight to end pediatric cancer.
Since 2005, Applebee’s restaurants across the country have collectively raised more than $13.2 million for ALSF and its mission and look to make a bigger impact this year with the help of the neighborhood.
Guests can support the cause in a variety of ways, including purchasing a digital lemon in increments of $1 and $5 on Applebees.com or the Applebee’s mobile app, making an online donation when purchasing a gift card on Applebees.com or by celebrating National Lemonade Day with Applebee’s.
On National Lemonade Day, Aug. 20, guests can purchase a lemonade or fruit flavored lemonade at a neighborhood Applebee’s, and 25 cents from each lemonade will be donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Contact your local restaurant to learn more.
“We’re honored to continue our long-standing partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to help in the fight against pediatric cancer,” said John Cywinski, Applebee’s President. “Over the past 18 years, together with our restaurant partners and guests, we’ve raised more than $13 million – but we know the fight continues, and we hope to raise even more in 2022.”
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was established in 2005 to continue the mission of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott. While fighting her own battle against cancer, Scott set up a lemonade stand in her front yard to raise money for “doctors to find a cure” for all pediatric cancers. One in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer by the time they turn 20 and yet pediatric cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded.
“After 18 years, Applebee’s continues to be a loyal partner who has shown tremendous support of our core mission,” said Liz Scott, Alex’s mom and co-executive director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. “After all these years, the fight continues, and we’re excited to give Applebee’s restaurants and customers even more opportunities to help kids fighting cancer. We are so grateful to be a part of a community that comes together in support of these families.”
For more than 40 years, Applebee’s restaurants remain committed to Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood. Local restaurants make a positive impact on the communities around them throughout the year by hosting hundreds of events or fundraisers in their restaurants, whether to help local heroes and military, support children and schools, raise funds for local charities that help neighbors or even to help their own team members who may be in need. In addition to these local efforts, for the past 14 years, Applebee’s and its franchisees have thanked veterans and active military on Veterans Day by serving nearly 11 million free meals. Together, Applebee’s donates millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood each year.
Participating Applebee’s locations owned and operated by Flynn Restaurant Group include: Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
ABOUT APPLE AMERICAN GROUP
Apple American Group LLC owns and operates over 441 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurants in 23 states. With annualized sales of over $1.1B and over 21,000 employees, Apple American is the largest franchisee in the Applebee’s system, the largest U.S. casual dining franchisee, and the second largest franchisee of any concept in the U.S. More information is available at AppleAmerican.com.
ABOUT APPLEBEE’S®
As one of the world’s largest casual dining brands, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America’s kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee’s makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it’s in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood™ is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee’s restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee’s is always Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood®. Applebee’s franchise and company-operated operations consisted of 1,676 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of March 31, 2022. This number does not include two domestic Applebee’s ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and eight Applebee’s international ghost kitchens. Applebee’s is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world’s largest full-service restaurant companies.
ABOUT ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. Her spirit and determination inspired others to support her cause, and when she passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million. Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement. Today, ALSF is one of the leading funders of pediatric cancer research in the U.S. and Canada raising more than $250 million so far, funding over 1,000 research projects and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer. For more information, visit www.AlexsLemonade.org.
