“Cookie money” funds more than 3,300 phone cards for American troops
San Leandro, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2007)-John Schiavo, president and CEO of Otis Spunkmeyer, announced today the contribution of $50,
000 to USO Operation Phone Home, a program that distributes free prepaid international calling cards for military personnel
serving overseas. Schiavo presented the check to USO representatives Edward Powell, president and CEO; Kathy Majesich,
vice president of corporate alliances; and Diane Rogers, vice president of programs and services, at USO World Headquarters in
Arlington, Va., on Sept. 27.
“We thank Otis Spunkmeyer and its customers for their support of the USO,” said Powell. “This donation will bring our men and
women in uniform, many of whom are stationed far from home, closer to their loved ones.”
Otis Spunkmeyer’s donation will be used to purchase more than 3, 300 phone cards to help service members stay connected with
friends and family while serving overseas. The cards are distributed in Operation USO Care Packages and at USO centers in
Europe, the Pacific, and Southwest Asia, in addition to fulfilling individual requests. Since the program’s inception in
2003, USO Operation Phone Home has distributed nearly 2 million phone cards.
“Otis Spunkmeyer has a rich history in the military segment; our cookies and muffins are served in combat zones and sold on every
American military base worldwide,” said Schiavo. “We receive weekly letters from military personnel overseas thanking us for
the special way our products provide a connection with home, and now we are proud to make it even easier for soldiers to connect
with loved ones through our support of USO Operation Phone Home.”
The donation was made in conjunction with Otis Spunkmeyer’s “Let Freedom Ring” promotion, which ran through the patriotic holidays
of Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, and the 4th of July. During the promotion, operators could purchase the new red,
white, and blue All American Cookie and request free promotional materials to drive cookie sales and show support for the troops.
In addition to the USO partnership, Otis Spunkmeyer is actively involved with Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington,
D.C.-arguably the best-known military medical center in the world. The company keeps an oven in Malone House, a campus hotel
for injured soldiers, and regularly bakes donated Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough as a rehabilitation tool for amputees. Company
employees also recently participated in the Wounded Warrior Picnic and the “In Honor of Our Troops” Golf Classic.
“Each time I am with our wounded warriors, I am humbled and inspired at the same time. They are so appreciative of every
little thing we do,” said Judy Cherel, national military sales manager for Otis Spunkmeyer. “$50,000 is such a big deal in this
world; we really have no idea what these phone cards mean in the lives of our soldiers and family members.”
About Otis Spunkmeyer
Otis Spunkmeyer, Inc., a Northern California-based baked-goods manufacturer, markets a trusted brand name in the food and snack
industry. With the #1 selling cookie dough in foodservice and a leading muffin brand at retail, the Otis Spunkmeyer brand has
come to be recognized by consumers as synonymous with quality baked goods. Otis Spunkmeyer frozen cookie dough, prebaked
muffins and cookies, pastries, and other quality baked goods can be found in foodservice and retail outlets throughout the
country. For more information about Otis Spunkmeyer products, contact your local sales representative at 1-888-ASK-OTIS or
visit www.spunkmeyer.com.
About the USO
For more than 66 years, the USO (United Service Organizations) has been providing morale, welfare and recreational services to
U.S. military personnel and their families. The USO is a nonprofit, charitable organization, relying on the generosity of
the American people to support its programs and services. The USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE
Systems North America, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, DRS Technologies, Inc., Military Channel, S & K
Sales Co., TriWest Healthcare Alliance and The Walt Disney Company. Other corporate donors, including the United Way and
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381), have joined thousands of individual donors to support the USO. For more information about
the USO, please visit www.uso.org.
