Applebee’s Grill & Bar has teamed with Nationwide Children’s Hospital for a three-week fundraising campaign that will benefit patients and families who travel to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for its expert research and care. The campaign will launch at Applebee’s locations in Ashland, Mansfield and Wooster:
• Ashland: 2250 Claremont Ave., Ashland, OH 44805
• Mansfield: 145 Stander Ave., Mansfield, OH 44903
• Mansfield: 1023 N Lexington Springmill Rd., Mansfield, OH 44906
• Wooster: 3989 Burbank Rd., Wooster, OH 44691
Patrons of the participating Applebee’s will have an opportunity to purchase a “Help Kids Everywhere” button icon for $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to Nationwide Children’s.
The partnership between Nationwide Children’s and Applebee’s began last fall when Nationwide Children’s was presented with a check in the amount of $2,500 in honor of one-year old Kenith Ratliff, who was born with cleft palate. Kenith’s mother, Laura, wanted to give back to Nationwide Children’s following the multidisciplinary care Kenith received at the hospital’s Cleft Lip and Palate Center. As the kitchen manager at the 145 Stander Ave., Applebee’s location and on hand during the restaurant’s renovation last year, Laura and her colleagues were able to raise $2,500 to donate to Nationwide Children’s after selling memorabilia from the restaurant during its revamp.
Kenith’s Story – Age 1, from Mansfield, Ohio
Like 700 babies every year in the Unites States, Kenith Ratliff was born with Cleft Lip. Kenith’s mother, Laura, made the trip from Mansfield, Ohio, to Nationwide Children’s Hospital so he could get the best care possible from the multidisciplinary team of experts at the Cleft Lip and Palate Center. Kenith underwent a series of three medical procedures at Nationwide Children’s in his first year of life. Today he is doing extremely well and enjoys playing in his race car and showing his big, sweet smile every single day.
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Ranked 7th of only 10 children's hospitals on U.S. News & World Report’s 2014-15 “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare networks providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s, also ranked among the Top 10 on Parents magazine’s 2013 “Best Children’s Hospitals” list, has a medical staff of 1,100 and nearly 10,000 employees providing state-of-the-art pediatric care for one million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. Nationwide Children’s remains true to the original mission since its founding in 1892 of providing care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.
About Apple American Group
Apple American Group LLC owns and operates 471 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurants in 23 states. With annualized sales of over $1.1B and over 25,000 employees, Apple American is the largest franchisee in the Applebee’s system, the largest U.S. casual dining franchisee, and the second largest franchisee of any concept in the U.S. More information is available at www.appleamerican.com.
The Applebee’s Brand
Applebee’s is the world's largest casual dining chain, with approximately 2,000 locations in 49 states, 16 countries and one U.S. territory. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Applebee’s takes pride in providing a welcoming, neighborhood environment where everyone can enjoy the dining experience. Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar® restaurants are franchised or operated by DineEquity, Inc.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Applebee’s International, Inc. and its affiliates.