MINNEAPOLIS (September 23, 2009) – Bloomington-based non-profit, Bridging, Inc. gives away nearly 12,000 beds each year, but are always short of blankets to go with them. On Sunday, December 6, 2009, local SUBWAY® restaurants in central Minnesota and western Wisconsin are partnering with Bridging, Inc. to collect blankets that will be given away with beds to individuals and families in need.



Now in its eighth year, the SUBWAY® Bring a Blanket program is the primary way Bridging secures blankets for distribution. Blankets collected on December 6 will be distributed to over 6,000 local families currently served by Bridging every year.



To contribute to SUBWAY® Bring a Blanket, individuals are asked to bring new or gently used, clean blankets in good condition to any participating SUBWAY® restaurant. Especially needed are blankets that fit full and queen size beds. In return for their donation, contributors will receive a free regular six-inch SUBWAY® sandwich (one free six-inch sandwich per person, regardless of the number of blankets donated).

If you cannot make it into your local SUBWAY® restaurant on Sunday, December 6, but still want to contribute to the Bring A Blanket program, simply log on to www.Bridging.org. Each person to donate $20 to the program will receive a certificate good for a six-inch sub in the mail after the holidays. Funds raised will be used to purchase new blankets for Bridging clients at wholesale prices.



Bridging was founded on the simple concept that community resources should be shared with those in need, "bridging the gap" between the "haves" and the "have nots." Bridging provides the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items to help stabilize and improve their lives while effectively using community resources. By collecting and distributing donated furniture and household goods, they provide clients a bed to sleep on, a chair to sit on, and a dish to eat from, thereby turning their house into a home.

Bridging benefits those in-need including refugees, immigrants, victims of domestic abuse, natural disasters and the homeless, who are given a sense of dignity and stability as they rebuild their lives. In July 2009, Bridging served their 50,000th family since being founded in 1987. For more information about Bridging, visit www.Bridging.org.



The SUBWAY® Bring a Blanket program was developed in 2002 by local SUBWAY® restaurants to address the need of families to stay warm during the winter in the face of skyrocketing heating bills. In the past five years, the SUBWAY Bring A Blanket program has collected over 48,000 blankets for area people in need.



Many organizations join SUBWAY® Restaurants and contribute toward the success of the SUBWAY® Bring a Blanket program, including KARE 11 TV, KDWB/101.3 FM, FedEx, Liberty Carton Company, and Donaldson Company.



Contacts
Erin Peterson (952) 278-3114
J. Marie Fieger (952) 278-3140