Together millions of Chili’s guests and Team Members have raised over $130 million for St. Jude since 2002, now Chili’s Create-a-Pepper returns this September – with a new goal in mind
DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Over the past 24 years, Chili’s® Grill & Bar guests and Team Members across the country have embraced Chili’s decades-long commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Today, that tradition continues with a new pledge to help raise $150 million over the next 15 years to help support children and families facing cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
The partnership has always been powered by people. From Team Members who launched the first Create-A-Pepper fundraiser in Memphis in 2002 to the millions of guests who have donated in restaurants across the country, each contribution has helped St. Jude push the overall childhood cancer survival rate in the U.S. from 20% in 1962 to more than 80% today. Together, that generosity has helped fund spaces on the St. Jude campus that drive research, patient care and education every day. One is the Chili’s Care Center, the first medical building on campus to bear the name of a St. Jude corporate partner, which has impacted thousands of patients since opening in 2007. Another is the St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s, an on-campus preschool through grade 12 school program run by St. Jude that helps ensure St. Jude patients have the tools they need to thrive academically and keep up with classes back home.
The new $150 million commitment will build on what Chili’s guests and Team Members have made possible together. Distributed over the next 15 years, the funding will help support the new Chili’s Clinical Center at St. Jude, which will carry forward the Chili’s name when it opens in February 2027. The center will bring major outpatient services together under one roof and help St. Jude as it now cares for more than 600 new cancer patients annually, with family-centered spaces designed to make care easier to navigate and help families maintain as much normalcy as possible during treatment.
“Our guests and Team Members have been incredible supporters of St. Jude. With over 3 million individual donations in the last year alone, they continue to show how much this mission means to the Chili’s community,” said Kevin Hochman, chief executive officer and president of Brinker International, and president of Chili’s. “Together, we’ve raised more than $130 million over the past 24 years, and we couldn’t have done it without them. Our new $150 million commitment to support the Chili’s Clinical Center builds on everything we’ve accomplished together. We’ve created a lot of special moments at Chili’s, but what we’ve done together for St. Jude and for children with cancer is something we’ll be proud of for decades to come.”
“This extraordinary commitment from our friends at Chili’s is a powerful example of how generosity can change lives,” said Ike Anand, President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “For more than 20 years, Chili’s guests and Team Members have helped support families facing some of life’s toughest challenges and fuel the research that is helping drive childhood cancer survival rates higher in the U.S. and around the world. We are profoundly grateful for Chili’s steadfast partnership and unwavering support of the St. Jude mission.”
This September, Chili’s guests have another opportunity to be part of what comes next. During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the annual Create-A-Pepper campaign returns to Chili’s restaurants nationwide, continuing the tradition that started the partnership 24 years ago.
Throughout September, guests can purchase a Create-A-Pepper coloring sheet for a $1, $5, $10 or $25 donation, with 100% of proceeds benefiting St. Jude. Every dollar supports groundbreaking research and treatment while ensuring families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Completed Create-A-Pepper designs will once again fill Chili’s restaurant walls throughout the month, giving guests of all ages a way to add their support to the millions who have participated before them.
To learn more about Chili’s partnership with St. Jude, visit chilis.com/st-jude, and stop by a participating Chili’s location to Create-A-Pepper throughout September.
About Chili’s® Grill & Bar
Hi, welcome to Chili’s! A proud leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), Chili’s was honored in 2025 as one of Fast Company‘s Brands that Matter and Inc.‘s Best in Business. The brand was also named Ad Age‘s Brand of the Year in 2025 and 2026. Founded in 1975, Chili’s is known for serving Big Mouth Burgers®, Crispy Chicken Crispers®, and sizzling fajitas, while hand-shaking more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the United States. Chili’s operates 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories with over 70,000 team members. With a purpose to make everyone feel special, Chiliheads take food, drink and service seriously – but not themselves. Chili’s was a proud winner at the 2025 MenuMasters Awards for Best New Menu Item for Nashville Hot Mozz, the breakout addition to the social media-famous Triple Dipper. For more than 20 years, Chili’s has been a proud supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has raised more than $130 million for the organization through generous guest and team member donations. Find more information at chilis.com, follow on X or Instagram, like on Facebook, or join Chili’s on TikTok.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was considered largely incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate in the U.S. from 20% to more than 80%, and it won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
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