The MRA joins the National Restaurant Association in honoring restaurants' strong commitment to community service with the 4th Annual Restaurant Neighbor Award. The MRA will award two winners $500 each and will enter them in the national contest for a chance to win $5,000 each to support their community efforts.

Restaurateurs and their staffs have a strong presence in their communities, volunteering their time for youth mentoring and other projects, helping to raise money for various events, and donating food and money to charitable organizations. In fact, nine out of 10 restaurants are involved in some type of community service, according to research by the NRA. But this same research also reveals that consumers are largely unaware of this.

This fact has inspired the MRA to support the Restaurant Neighbor Award, a program to honor industry representatives' commitment to their communities. The Restaurant Neighbor Award is a key component of the NRA's Cornerstone Initiative, a comprehensive effort to advance and promote the restaurant industry's role as the cornerstone of the economy, career and employment opportunities, and community involvement. Two winners and a Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year will be selected to receive $5,000 each to support their community programs. American Express is the founding partner of the program.

"Especially during this unique time in history, it is important for restaurateurs to continue to do everything they can to"reassure and aid their fellow Americans," said Rob Gifford, MRA Executive Director. "As President Bush said following the tragic events of Sept. 11, 'all of us can become volunteers by making a commitment to service in our own communities' by mentoring or tutoring a child, comforting the afflicted, or housing those in need.'"

"Restaurateurs nationwide have always been strong community partners, and the Restaurant Neighbor Award helps us highlight those members already donating their time and talent to help others," Gifford added. "Through our participation in this program, we look forward to learning more about the community service activities in local communities in every neighborhood across our great state."

Winners will be chosen in two categories - one for single-unit operators and one for multi-unit operators - to compete for the national award. The finalists in each category will be eligible for the grand prize of $5,000, and all state winners will be eligible for the Cornerstone Humanitarian Award to honor those restaurateurs who personally have gone above and beyond to support their communities. The winners will be announced at the NRA's Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C., in September. All state winners will be recognized in a booklet highlighting their community service activities, as well as on the NRA's web site www.restaurant.org, and each will receive a plaque to display in their restaurant. The booklet will be shared with every member of the U.S. Congress, as well as with members of the media, both locally and nationally.

"Restaurants are the cornerstone of community involvement, and this helps shine the spotlight on the numerous community activities that occur each and every day in our industry," said NRA President and Chief Executive Officer Steven C. Anderson.

If you would like to apply for the award or would like to nominate a restaurateur who is actively involved in his or her community, please contact Kim Ohlemacher at 800/968-9668, or download the application

Nominations due July 15th.