FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Contact: Andy Deloney

May 10, 2005                                                                                                 (517) 482-5244

MI RESTAURANT ASSN. URGES RESTAURANTS TO APPLY FOR 2005 RESTAURANT NEIGHBOR AWARD

LANSING, MI – Michigan Restaurant Association executive director Rob Gifford today urged state restaurateurs to apply for the seventh annual Restaurant Neighbor Award.  The program was created by the National Restaurant Association to honor restaurants for their commitment to community service and innovative community projects and to underscore that restaurants are the cornerstone of local communities.

“From feeding the hungry to mentoring youth to raising money for local, state and national organizations, restaurants are, and always have been, an essential part of communities across Michigan.  We are pleased to recognize their extraordinary efforts with the Restaurant Neighbor Award,” said Gifford.  “I strongly encourage  restaurants to apply for the award and share their inspiring projects with us.”

“We created the Restaurant Neighbor Award to reqrd the countless charitable efforts restaurants make each day in their local communities,” said National Restaurant Association president and CEO Steven C. Anderson.  “Nine out of ten restaurants are involved in some type of charitable activity, and we aim to bring these philanthropists to the forefront and honor them for their generosity and inspiration.”

Restaurant patrons, community activists, restaurateurs and any other member of the community may work with a local restaurant to apply for the award by contacting the Michigan Restaurant Association at (800) 968-9668.  More information on the award program, as well as the application or nomination forms, is available on the National Restaurant Association’s website, www.restaurant.org/community.

Winners chosen in each state will be eligible for two national awards and the Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year award.

Each national winner will receive a $5,000 award to help the company continue its community programs.  In addition, three national winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for the awards ceremony during the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference, held September 12-13, 2005.  The national winners and all state winners will be recognized in a booklet and on the National Restaurant Association website highlighting their community service activities.  The deadline to apply for the award is July 15, 2005.

The National Restaurant Association and founding partner American Express developed the Restaurant Neighbor Award to raise awareness about the restaurant industry’s contributions in local communities across the country and to inspire other restaurant operators and owners to make even greater contributions in their communities.

Founded in 1921, the MRA represents more than 4,500 Michigan foodservice establishments.  The foodservice industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 436,000 people and creating $11.3 billion in annual sales.