- In 2002, ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, partnered with Chili’s Grill & Bar in Memphis on a coloring sheet promotion that raised $14,000. In 2003, the promotion expanded to include five Southeastern states; the regional effort raised $50,000.
- In 2004, Chili’s and St. Jude engaged in a national partnership to raise funds through a coloring sheet campaign named Create-A-Pepper to Fight Childhood Cancer that would be held every September to coincide with National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. As a component of each year’s campaign, Chili’s agreed to donate 100 percent of its profits from one day's sales in September to St. Jude.
- The goal of the first national campaign in 2004 was to raise $2 million; Chili’s raised more than $2.5 million. For the 2005 campaign, a goal of $3 million was set; this goal was exceeded even as people nationwide, including those at St. Jude, focused their attention on the tragedy that unfolded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The 2006 campaign resulted in an astounding $5.2 million raised by Chili’s for St. Jude.
- In 2006, Chili’s announced plans to raise $50 million over a 10-year period, the largest single partner donation in the history of the hospital. In honor of the ongoing partnership, a new state-of-the-art-building was named the Chili’s Care Center.
- In 2007, Chili’s raised a record-setting $8.2 million for St. Jude, a $3 million increase over 2006. In November 2007, St. Jude also opened the Chili’s Care Center, which combines 21st century imaging and treatment technology with St. Jude’s almost half-century approach to medical research: put patients and scientists in the same building to fast-track the translation of new knowledge into better care for our children.
- To date, Chili’s has raised more than $18.7 million for St. Jude.
