Piccadilly Restaurants today announced a canned food drive to benefit the Atlanta Union Mission. Piccadilly Restaurants is calling on the Atlanta Community to help raise 100,000 cans for the mission this holiday season. The drive will begin Dec. 3 and continues through Jan. 2, 2005.

Piccadilly Restaurants is inviting the community to bring in canned food to any of the 20 Atlanta Restaurants. There will be drop boxes conveniently located at the front of each location. The Atlanta Union Mission regularly serves more than 2,000 meals per day and relies greatly on community support and donations. The Mission also offers residential recovery programs, counseling, life skills training, work therapy and spiritual guidance.

"Piccadilly is an important part of the Atlanta community; their partnership means a lot to the mission," said David Jones, public relations coordinator, Atlanta Union Mission. "We are grateful to Piccadilly for their generous donations this Holiday season."

"We are impressed with services provided by the Atlanta Union Mission. In a time when so many will be seeking out meals and shelter, we are proud to be able to make a difference," said Rich Beattie, chief executive officer, Piccadilly Restaurants. "We know the Piccadilly customers care about their neighbors and we want to be a part of serving this benevolent community."

In addition to the food drive, Piccadilly has donated hundreds of turkey and ham dinners for Thanksgiving and will donate hundreds more for Christmas. Piccadilly will also issue a call to action for other Atlanta residents and businesses to support the Atlanta Union Mission this season.

About Piccadilly Restaurants

With headquarters in Baton Rouge, Piccadilly Restaurants has been serving home-style meals for more than 60 years. Currently, Piccadilly operates 132 cafeterias with more than 6,000 team members in 15 states, primarily located in the southeast and mid-Atlantic regions. For more information please visit the company Web site at www.piccadilly.com.

About Atlanta Union Mission

Atlanta Union Mission is a non-denominational Christian ministry that provides a continuum of emergency services, residential recovery programs and transitional housing to as many as 1,062 homeless and addicted men, women, and their children every day of the year. The Mission was established in 1938 as a refuge for homeless and hungry individuals displaced by the Great Depression. Over the years, the Mission has grown from a single shelter in downtown Atlanta to six facilities, which provide emergency food and shelter, residential recovery programs and transitional housing. For more information, please visit the company Web site at www.aumcares.com.