A&W and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada team up to end MS for the 5th Annual Cruisin' for a Cause

VANCOUVER, Aug. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (TSE: AW.UN) celebrates its 5^th annual Cruisin' for a Cause tomorrow to benefit and raise awareness for Canadians living with MS. One dollar from every Teen Burger® sold across the country on Thursday, August 22 will go to the MS Society of Canada. Cruisin' for a Cause has raised more than $3 million to support people living with MS and MS research in Canada.

More than 780 A&W restaurants across the country will host Cruisin' for a Cause events, which may include Cruisin' the Dub® classic car and hot rod gatherings, retro music, car hop service, A&W Root Beer® chugging contests and visits from the Great A&W Root Bear®. In addition to buying a Teen Burger®, supporters can also purchase $1, $2 or $5 paper cutouts, give through in-store donation boxes or make online donations at cruisinforacause2013.ca; all of which goes towards supporting activities that help people touched by MS. A&W will also donate $1 to the MS Society of Canada for every RSVP to the A&W Cruisin' for a Cause event on Facebook and every tweet with the hashtag #cruisinforacause.

For the many Canadians who grew up enjoying warm summer evenings at the drive in—often with trays of Teen burgers, hand-made onion rings and icy cold A&W Root Beer delivered to their car by car hops—Cruisin' for a Cause is an opportunity to revisit those fond memories while supporting the MS Society of Canada and its effort to end MS. This special retro-themed event also draws families - sometimes three or four generations.

"We are asking Canadians to join us on August 22 to help those living with MS by buying a Teen Burger, making a donation, and encouraging their friends and family to do the same," says Paul Hollands, President and CEO of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.  "We are thrilled at how this fundraising initiative has been embraced by all of A&W's employees and burger fans across the country. As a result, donations have grown each year, and in four years we have raised $3.4 million to help end MS. We need the public's support to build on this achievement by making this year's Cruisin' for a Cause bigger and better than ever."

Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, with 100,000 individuals living with MS, and every day three more people are diagnosed. MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in the country. Although the cause of this often disabling disease is still not known, researchers are closer to finding the answer. The MS Society of Canada offers programs and services for people with MS and their families, and is also the highest per-capita funder of MS research in the world.

"A&W continues to be a leader in the movement to end MS," says Yves Savoie, President and CEO of the MS Society of Canada. "In five years, Cruisin' for a Cause has made an incredible impact in the lives of Canadians living with MS from coast to coast. Thank you to the entire A&W family for their continued support and dedication, in what has become a highlight of each summer."

A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. is 100 per cent Canadian owned and is one of the strongest brand names in the Canadian foodservice industry. A&W is the nation's second largest hamburger restaurant company with over 780 locations coast-to-coast.  A&W Restaurants feature famous trade-marked menu items such as The Burger Family®, Chubby Chicken® and A&W Root Beer®. For more information, please visit aw.ca.

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more info.

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Image with caption: "Cruisin' for a Cause: On Thursday, August 22, A&W celebrates its 5th annual Cruisin' for a Cause day to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. On this day, $1 from every Teen Burger® sold across the country will be donated to help end MS. Paul Hollands, President and CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada (left) and Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MS Society of Canada were joined by the Great A&W Root Bear® to kick-off this year's event. (CNW Group/A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.)".