M&M Meat Shops: Pay a Little, Eat a Lot, to Raise Money for Research on Charity BBQ Day-Saturday, May 7, 2011!

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 3, 2011) - On Saturday, May 7, 2011, visit any of the more than 465 M&M Meat Shops locations across Canada to support the 23^rdAnnual M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day benefiting the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC).

On May 7^th, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. M&M Meat Shops' franchisees, staff and thousands of volunteers from coast-to-coast will grill hamburgers and hot dogs to meet the 23^rd Anniversary Charity BBQ Day fundraising goal of $1.6 million., Supporters will receive a hamburger or hot dog, a drink and a bag of chips for a minimum donation of $2.50. All food and time is donated, so every penny raised goes directly to the CCFC for its research programs.

For an additional $2, supporters can cool down by purchasing a delicious M&M Meat Shops Strawberry Shortcake Bar and proceeds will be donated to CCFC.

Canada has among the highest incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in the world, two similar yet distinct conditions also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The public profile of these "taboo" diseases, however, continues to be low. There are more than 200,000 Canadians suffering from IBD. It is a painful and unpredictable disorder. There is no known cause or cure and the number of cases continues to grow.

This year, M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day is being supported by Amanda Holmes, daughter of Canada's Most Trusted Contractor Mike Holmes. Amanda was diagnosed with Crohn's as a teenager. "My dad is an expert at home renovation and construction." says Amanda. "But when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease even he didn't have the tools to fix me. At this point, nobody does and that's why both of us are proud to support the CCFC. M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ is an important way to raise funds and awareness for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis."

"There are few things harder than seeing your child in pain," says Mike Holmes. "I appreciate every dollar donated to the CCFC."

Breaking Records for a Cure

From humble beginnings, M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day has grown into CCFC's largest annual fundraising activity by any single supporter. Over the past 22 years, M&M Meat Shops has raised more than $20 million for medical research dedicated to finding a cure for IBD.

The money raised through events such as Charity BBQ Day has allowed CCFC to fund more than $65 million in medical research projects. Charity BBQ Day began in 1989, when Mac Voisin, Founder of M&M Meat Shops learned that Canadians suffer from IBD at an unusually high rate. He quickly realized that he had the unique opportunity to help raise awareness and funds for a little known, and even less spoken-about condition and Canadian charity. Charity BBQ Day was born and the CCFC gained both a corporate sponsor and a public voice. Over the past 22 years, Charity BBQ Day has grown rapidly. Last year, $1.6 million was raised and this year the goal is also set at $1.6 million.

"What began in 1989 with just a handful of stores has evolved into a national event at more than 465 M&M Meat Shops locations across Canada. We are celebrating 22 years of fundraising for CCFC and Charity BBQ Day has definitely become an expression of who we are as a company. The commitment of our franchisees and volunteers in communities from coast-to-coast is phenomenal and we thank everyone for their dedication," says Mac Voisin. "Our goal is to help find a cure so that our event can become an annual celebration of the cure for IBD.

$2.50 Hamburgers Help Find a Cure

"We are extremely grateful to those who support M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day," says CCFC CEO Kevin Glasgow. "Our 22-year-partnership with M&M Meat Shops has made an enormous difference in our effort to find a cure for IBD. The generous donations, combined with the hard work of thousands of volunteers, raise a significant portion of our annual research funds in just one day."

The money raised through Charity BBQ Day is invested into IBD research, which includes:

• Investing in the most talented inflammatory bowel disease researchers in Canada;
• Reporting on the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Canada and the economic and social burden of this disease on patients, their families and the Canadian health care system;
• Funding collaborations involving various researchers and research centres to find the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis; and
• Working with paediatric gastroenterologists across Canada, CCFC is developing a model for tracking paediatric IBD cases in order to learn more about how youth develop IBD, how they fare with the diseases and how they respond to treatment. The initiative will encourage Canadian researchers to develop new questions and studies that ultimately would lead to improved quality of care and clinical outcomes for youth with IBD.

Be a Star

From Friday, April 1 until Sunday, May 8, Canadians can also support IBD research by purchasing and signing a Star in-store at M&M Meat Shops. Each star can be personalized with a signature, picture, or short message.

There are three types of Stars to choose from:

• For $2, supporters will receive a Star and a chance to win a $500 M&M Meat Shops gift card;
• For $3, supporters will receive a Star, an M&M Meat Shops Blossom Pastry and double the chance to win a $500 M&M Meat Shops gift card;
• For $5, supporters will receive a Star, a coupon book worth more than $50 in M&M Meat Shops savings and triple the chance to win a $500 M&M Meat Shops gift card.

Online Facebook fans and friends of both M&M Meat Shops and the CCFC are also encouraged to share pictures of the Star they have purchased, tell the story of who their Star is honouring and forward their Star story (in 140 characters or less) to their friends on Twitter.

Proud Partners

A Kitchener-based business, M&M Meat Shops opened its first store in 1980. Over the past 30 years, the chain has grown to more than 465 locations across Canada. M&M Meat Shops offers hundreds of meal ideas for today's busy families in just one aisle, with products ranging from succulent steaks to delicious desserts and convenient meal ideas. For more information on M&M Meat Shops or for tips on hundreds of meal ideas visit www.mmmeatshops.com.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is a volunteer-based, registered charity dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The Foundation is also committed to educating IBD patients, their families, health professionals and the general public about the diseases. For more information about the CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca.