$1 from every Teen Burger® sold across Canada to be donated to the MS Society

MONTREAL, Aug. 24, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (TSE: AW.UN) celebrates its annual fundraising day tomorrow to benefit and raise awareness for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. One dollar from every Teen Burger® sold across the country on Thursday, August 25 will be donated to help end MS.

Le Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP is a way for A&W customers and supporters of the MS Society to come together with the A&W Great Root Bear to help end MS. Thus, Le Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP will feature a multitude of fundraising events at participating restaurants such as games, raffles, prizes and even visits from the Great Root Bear himself!

In addition to buying a Teen Burger®, supporters can also purchase $1 paper cutouts, give through in-store donation boxes or text MS to 45678 to donate $5 to the MS Society of Canada.

"In just two years A&W customers, employees and franchisees have raised more than one million dollars in support of the effort to end MS," says Paul Hollands, President and CEO of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.  "We are thrilled by this success and want to encourage everyone to help us build on this great achievement by supporting Le Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP on August 25."

Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. It is estimated that one in two Canadians know someone with MS, and between 55,000 - 75,000 Canadians have MS, of which, 13,000 - 18,000 are in the province of Québec. Although the cause of this often disabling disease is still not known, researchers are closer to finding the answer. The MS Society of Canada funds services for people with MS and their families and is also the highest per-capita funder of MS research in the world.

Le Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP creates an opportunity for burger lovers to enjoy a Teen burger while supporting the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

"The Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP campaign plays an important role in helping us fund ongoing research into the cause, treatment and cure of MS and provide services for Canadians touched by this disease," says Yves Savoie, President and CEO for the MS Society of Canada. "We are grateful to A&W and all of its customers and staff for their role in raising significant funds and driving awareness of a disease that is diagnosed in three Canadians every day."

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 730 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 www.aw.ca.

About multiple sclerosis and the Multiple Sclerosis 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 www.mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

Image with caption: "Le Rendez-vous A&W pour stopper la SP Thursday, August 25. $1 from every Teen Burger sold donated to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC). Great A&W Root Bear joins Richard Lemire, MS Society National Inspiration Champion; Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MSSC; Paul Hollands, President and CEO, A&W Canada. (CNW Group/A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110824_C5857_PHOTO_EN_2464.jpg