LEBANON, Tenn., May 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cracker Barrel
Old Country Store® surprised 100 military moms-to-be by presenting
each of them with one of the brand's iconic rockers at a special
Star-Spangled Babies® shower hosted by its national, flagship
nonprofit partner Operation Homefront. At the Southeast Armed
Services YMCA in Colorado Springs,
Colorado, employees from Cracker Barrel's surrounding
locations volunteered to hand out the surprise rockers to the crowd
of expecting and new moms who are active duty servicewomen and
spouses of service members.
"Cracker Barrel is known as a home-away-from-home for our
guests, and our support of military families is an extension of our
commitment to connecting families around the table," said Cracker
Barrel Manager of Corporate Citizenship Sloane Lucas. "The front
porch of each Cracker Barrel store is lined with wooden rocking
chairs, and relaxing in these rockers is one of our guests'
favorite parts of visiting Cracker Barrel because it reminds them
of being at home. Bringing our beloved rockers to the front porches
of military moms-to-be is one way we are expressing our gratitude
to them for the sacrifices they make."
Baby shower attendees connected with one another about their
shared experiences and received advice and tips from parenting
experts. Guests of the shower also took home toys, baby blankets
and clothes donated through Cracker Barrel's support of Operation
Homefront's 2017 Holiday Toy Drive. Since 2008, Operation Homefront
has provided critical baby supplies to more than 17,000 military
new and expecting moms.
"There's no better place to begin helping military families be
strong, stable and secure than in a rocking chair with a new
military mom," said Operation Homefront Chief Development Officer
Margi Kirst. "A rocker provides
a special place for family memories, especially for new
moms. Every mom who received this wonderful gift from Cracker
Barrel was so thrilled, and I know they will always be grateful as
they create special memories with their child."
Due to deployments and frequent relocation, military
parents-to-be often live far from their extended families and
support systems. Like many new parents, they have questions,
concerns and fears. The Star-Spangled Babies® showers provide these
new and expectant parents with early childhood education tips and a
support system when loved ones are far away.
The rockers were donated by Cracker Barrel through its annual
Operation Rocker campaign. The program, where a rocker is donated
to a deserving military family for every rocker purchased from
Cracker Barrel online, began in 2016 and has resulted in nearly
2,000 rockers being given. This year's campaign will kick off
June 29 and run through Labor
Day.
Operation Homefront has served tens of thousands of military
families across the country. The organization helps build strong,
stable and secure military families by offering valuable programs
addressing short-term and long-term stability. Cracker Barrel
supports Operation Homefront's mission through a range of programs,
including Operation Rocker, donations of holiday to-go meals to
help military families enjoy a hassle-free celebration together, as
well as seasonal retail promotions that offer Cracker Barrel guests
an opportunity to support the work of Operation Homefront. Since
the partnership began in 2016, Cracker Barrel has contributed
nearly $900K through monetary and
in-kind donations. To learn more, visit
crackerbarrel.com/giving.
The 100-rocker delivery was donated by Averitt Express, a
freight transportation and supply chain management company and
partner of Cracker Barrel, and driven by Averitt's Bruce Fuehr, an Army veteran.
About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) shares warm
welcomes and friendly service while offering guests quality
homestyle food and unique shopping – all at a fair price. By
creating a world filled with hospitality and charm through an
experience that combines dining and shopping, guests are cared for
like family. Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel and its
affiliates operate 653 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country
Store® locations in 45 states and own the fast-casual Holler and
Dash® restaurants. For more information about the company, visit
crackerbarrel.com.
About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation
The
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation is a public benefit
corporation created by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in 1993.
The Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants to support
numerous nonprofits and charitable programs. It also supports an
annual Employee Scholarship Program, which recognizes and rewards
the accomplishments of Cracker Barrel employees and their children
who excel in their studies and serve their communities. For more
information, click here.
About Operation Homefront
Founded in 2002, Operation
Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to
build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can
thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they
have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance
by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of
Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that
support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation
Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and
permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term
needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the
generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of
volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America's military
families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.
Media Contact:
Breeanna Straessle
media.relations@crackerbarrel.com
615-443-9589
Operation Homefront Media Contact:
Aaron Taylor
aaron.taylor@operationhomefront.org
210-549-4621
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SOURCE Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.