Buffalo Wild Wings Launches Team Up for Kids and Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America

MINNEAPOLIS --(Business Wire)--

With a passion for sports and a commitment to giving back, Buffalo Wild Wings® today announced it is focusing its philanthropic efforts to support youth sports in underserved communities through its Team Up for Kids™ initiative. Kicking off the initiative is a new partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, designed to bring sports into the lives of kids who need it most.

Through Buffalo Wild Wings' support, Boys & Girls Clubs of America will create and enhance flag and tackle football and dance line programs and increase opportunities for kids to participate at Clubs across the country. The partnership also will include education and training programs for administrators and volunteer coaches for use across all team sport programs.

"At Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we know that active engagement in sports leagues and team play benefits young people in many ways. Beyond the obvious health and wellness benefits, we see how young people develop strong character, team building and social competency skills," said Jim Clark, president and chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We could not be more delighted to begin this partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings, a company that is clearly committed to recognizing the champion in every child. We look forward to engaging thousands of young people through at least 1,600 sports teams over the next two years."

"Sports are core to our brand, and we believe sports teach kids important life skills. Playing sports is about igniting a passion, belonging to a team, learning sportsmanship and accountability to others, accomplishing goals and building self-esteem," said Mary Twinem, Buffalo Wild Wings chief financial officer and the driving force behind the launch of Team Up for Kids. "These life lessons are at the heart of Boys & Girls Clubs and we're excited to partner with them to achieve our vision of helping build communities where all kids can thrive, compete and belong to a team."

Buffalo Wild Wings epects to raise more than $1 million over the next two years through a variety of promotions including sauce and seasoning bottle sales as well as numerous in-store fundraising activities, with a $600,000 commitment to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 2013.

Kicking Off More Than a Game

The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., marks the company's first sponsorship of a college bowl game and kicks off the Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnership with fundraising events to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley in Tempe and the home markets of TCU and Michigan State.

Eat Wings, Raise Funds.

On Dec. 12 and Dec. 29, all Tempe-area Buffalo Wild Wings will donate a portion of their sales to Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley.

Game Day Experience

Buffalo Wild Wings is honored to host nearly 400 youth from Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley at the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Dec. 29.

Beyond the Bowl

Kids in a team's home market will also win, as a TCU fan and a Michigan State fan will compete during the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl half-time to earn a $10,000 donation for the Boys & Girls Club in their school's community.

Buffalo Wild Wings' commitment to helping make communities a better place to live, work and grow has been a part of its culture for over 30 years. Since the first restaurants opened in Ohio, the company supported local community and school sports teams. Over the years, Buffalo Wild Wings, its franchisees and Guests have given millions of dollars to local teams, local community and school organizations, and to support those in need.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, some 4,000 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

About Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc., founded in 1982 and headquartered in Minneapolis, is a growing owner, operator and franchisor of Buffalo Wild Wings® restaurants featuring a variety of boldly flavored, made-to-order menu items including its namesake Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings. The Buffalo Wild Wings menu specializes in 20 mouth-watering signature sauces and seasonings with flavor sensations ranging from Sweet BBQ™ to Blazin'®. Guests enjoy a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere that includes an extensive multi-media system for watching their favorite sporting events. Buffalo Wild Wings is the recipient of hundreds of "Best Wings" and "Best Sports Bar" awards from across the country. There are currently nearly 900 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across 49 states in the United States, as well as in Canada.

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