BURGER KING McLAMORE^SM Foundation Helps ProStart Students Pursue Post-Secondary Education

-50 Students Will Each Receive a $1,000 Scholarship­­-

Washington USA /PRNewswire/ - The BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation has partnered with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to award $50,000 in scholarships to ProStart students through its BURGER KINGSM Scholars program. The scholarships will be awarded to each member of the 1st – 5th place winning teams at the National ProStart Invitational on April 20, 2015 in Anaheim, Calif.

"ProStart is one of the largest industry-supported career technical education programs in the country. Through the generous support of donors such as the BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation, ProStart students are able to attend post-secondary institutions and ultimately pursue long-term, rewarding careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry," said Rob Gifford, executive vice president, strategic operations and philanthropy for the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. "We extend our deepest gratitude to the BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation for its continued support of ProStart."

ProStart is taught to 118,000 high school students in 48 states, the territory of Guam, and in U.S. Department of Defense schools in Europe and the Pacific. The curriculum instructs students in culinary and business management theory and practice. In addition, the majority of ProStart students and educators say that ProStart teaches critical employability skills, such as workplace communication, teamwork and professional behavior. The National ProStart Invitational is an annual competition where top-placing student teams from each state compete in either high-stakes culinary or management challenges to earn high-value scholarships to pursue post-secondary studies.

"The BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation shares a common mission with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation — to build brighter futures through education. Through programs such as ProStart, the NRAEF is leading the way to ensure our industry continues to attract passionate, well-educated individuals and to create opportunities for them to have rewarding, long-term careers," said Jill Granat, president, BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation. "Each year, we are impressed by the skills displayed at the National ProStart Invitational and feel compelled to support these student achievers. By establishing the BURGER KINGSMScholars awards for ProStart, we are investing in the future of the restaurant and foodservice sector."

For more information on the ProStart program, visit NRAEF.org/ProStart or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation:
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry's service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. In 2015, the restaurant and foodservice industry is projected to comprise one million outlets and a workforce of 14 million employees, making it the nation's second largest private sector employer. For more information on the NRAEF, visit NRAEF.org.

About the BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation
The BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit public charity, whose global efforts are aimed at supporting the advancement of education. Inspired by BURGER KING® co-founder James W. McLamore, its mission is to make a positive impact in communities where BURGER KING® restaurants operate by building brighter futures through education and providing emergency hardship assistance to members of the BURGER KING® family. The Foundation also partners with select charitable organizations worldwide that share its mission of advancing education. To learn more about the BURGER KING McLAMORESM Foundation, visit www.bkmclamorefoundation.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or call 305-378-3186.