Dunkin' Donuts and the American Red Cross Call All Heroes to Donate Blood in Hershey

HARRISBURG, PA. (10/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Dunkin' Donuts of Central Pennsylvania today announced it will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross at its Hershey location, 605 Park Ave., from 7 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 25, as part of this year's "Thanks To You" Community Hero program. Currently, with the community blood supply for types O positive and A positive at an emergency level and types O negative and A negative at a critical level, Dunkin' Donuts is calling all heroes to donate blood.

All donors will receive a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee through the "Give a Pint, Get a Pound" program with the American Red Cross. In addition, the Hershey Dunkin' Donuts is hosting a fundraiser that day where any guest who donates $1 or more will receive a free Medium Hot or Iced Coffee as a thank you. All funds collected will benefit the American Red Cross throughout Central PA.

"Our Dunkin' Donuts franchisees in Central Pennsylvania are committed to our communities," said Alex Smigelski, a local franchisee. "This blood drive and all of our 'Thanks To You' events are our way of saying thank you to those people who keep our communities running."

For more information or to register to donate blood, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org. Advanced registration is recommended.

Central PA Dunkin' Donuts will be hosting three additional blood drive events to support the American Red Cross: November 4th in Manchester, PA; November 9th in Lebanon, PA; and November 21st in Carlisle, PA. Each of these events will also offer presenting blood donors a free pound of coffee and all guests have the opportunity to receive a free Medium Hot or Iced Coffee with the donation of a $1 or more to the American Red Cross fundraiser. More information about these blood drive events can found on the American Red Cross tab on www.DDThanksToYou.com.

The blood drive is part of Dunkin' Donuts' second annual "Thanks to You" program, through which Dunkin' Donuts honors Central Pennsylvania heroes selected from nominations submitted by community members. The top 10 heroes will receive the Dunkin' Donuts "Thanks to You" Community Hero Award, which includes free coffee for a year and a $500 American Express gift card. An additional 100 local heroes will be recognized for their service with free coffee for a year at Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Donuts of Central Pennsylvania is accepting Community Hero Award nominations now through Nov. 1.

"The Central Pennsylvania Dunkin' Donuts 'Thanks To You' Community Hero Award is a celebration of those who impact, improve and inspire our local community," said Smigelski. "The Community Hero Award gives Central Pennsylvanians a chance to recognize their own local heroes – people who have made a difference in their communities and in their lives."

The winners will be selected based the nominees' contributions to the residents of their local community, their community-driven activities and accomplishments, and the creativity and originality of the nomination submission. Nominations must be made for "community heroes" serving the Harrisburg-Lancaster-York region (specifically Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and/or York counties).

To nominate an individual for the Central Pennsylvania "Thanks To You" Community Hero Award, visit www.DDThanksToYou.com.

In 2010, Dunkin' Donuts of Central Pennsylvania honored 10 extraordinary individuals in its inaugural year of the "Thanks To You" program. Those recognized served their community with purpose and passion in roles ranging from teachers to nonprofit activists. Entering the second year of the program, Dunkin' Donuts of Central Pennsylvania looks to continue honoring unsung heroes and celebrating the work they do.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for five years running. The company has more than 9,700 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2010, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $6 billion. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DNKN). For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.