TORONTO, ONTARIO — (Marketwire) — 01/15/10 –Every year, children’s hospitals in Canada treat and provide hope to more than 2.6 million children. Recognizing the importance of their work, Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 joined forces with customers to raise $200,000 in 2009 to assist Children’s Miracle Network in providing care, education programs, equipment and research devoted to children’s hospitals across Canada.

To celebrate the fundraising total, Pizza Pizza joined friends and partners on January 12 at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto in holding a special pizza party with children who had been treated or are in treatment at SickKids.

“While Canadians enjoy a universal health care system, not everything is fully funded,” said John Hartman, chief international officer for Children’s Miracle Network.

Monies were collected through Slices for Smiles, a Pizza Pizza community program devoted to children’s wellbeing, which included donation boxes, local customer appreciation events and chain-wide fundraisers held in April and October.

“Slices for Smiles is our team’s favourite way to help raise funds and awareness for children’s hospitals,” said Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer for Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73. “We thank everyone that contributed to the success of this year’s fundraisers. Our customers, team and the kids we had the pleasure of working with made this year’s effort truly special.”