Boston Pizza's got love in the oven

Valentine's Day Fundraiser expects to raise $600,000 for national and international charities

RICHMOND , BC, Feb. 4 /CNW/ - This Valentine's Day , show someone how much you care with a heart-shaped pizza from Boston Pizza and support worthwhile charities at the same time! Exclusively on Sunday, February 14 , Boston Pizza guests can enjoy a heart-shaped pizza at any location across Canada . One dollar from the sale of each heart-shaped pizza on Valentine's Day will go to the Boston Pizza Foundation in support of its many charities including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada , Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Kids Help Phone.

"We are very grateful to all of our guests across Canada for their ongoing support and donations to the Boston Pizza Foundation over the past 18 years," says Cheryl Treliving, executive director of the Boston Pizza Foundation. "Since 1993, our Valentine's Day promotion has helped us raise awareness and more than $3.5 million to benefit many charities across Canada ."

This year, the Foundation will also allocate a portion of the Valentine's Day funds to the Haitian earthquake relief efforts in addition to its traditional partners.

"Given the magnitude of the devastation to the country of Haiti and the Haitian people, we are faced with the realization that we simply need to do more," says Mark Pacinda, president of Boston Pizza International Inc. "In addition to our initial contribution of $50,000 , part of the proceeds raised from Valentine's Day will go directly to relief efforts in Haiti ."

Heart-shaped pizzas are available in individual, small and medium size and can be ordered for dine-in, take out or delivery in any of Boston Pizza's 23 pizza varieties. Boston Pizza expects to make more than 50,000 heart-shaped pizzas on Valentine's Day .

Boston Pizza guests can also purchase red paper hearts for a $1 donation and write a Valentine message to someone special. Paper hearts are available beginning mid January at all Boston Pizza restaurants across Canada , and franchisees will post the hearts throughout the store to fill the halls with love. Donations collected from paper heart sales, which account for nearly 75 per cent of the campaign's fundraising total, will go to the Boston Pizza Foundation in support of its many charities.

"Celebrating Valentine's Day with a heart-shaped pizza at Boston Pizza has become a highly anticipated tradition for many of our guests across Canada and a great way to support charities," says Pacinda. "In fact, we sell more pizzas on Valentine's Day than any other day of the year."

About the Boston Pizza Foundation

The Boston Pizza Foundation raises funds for many charities across Canada , including The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada , Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Kids Help Phone. Since its inception in 1990, the Boston Pizza Foundation has raised more than $10 million , helping thousands of children and families in communities across Canada .

About Boston Pizza

Boston Pizza International Inc. is Canada's No. 1 casual dining brand with more than 340 restaurants in Canada and system-wide sales of $850 million in 2009. Annually, Boston Pizza serves more than 40 million guests. The company has been recognized as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies every year since 1993 and was named one of Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures by Waterstone Human Capital for 2007 and 2008. Boston Pizza International Inc. is headquartered in Richmond , B.C. and has regional offices in Mississauga, Ontario and Laval, Quebec . For more information visit www.bostonpizza.com.

For further information: or to arrange an interview with a local Boston Pizza franchisee or Boston Pizza executive, please contact: Stacy O'Rourke, Jason Squire, TRILLIUM Corporate Communications Inc., [phone] ext. 239, 227, [email protected], [email protected]