LEBANON, Tenn., May 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® surprised 100 military moms-to-be by presenting each of them with one of the brand's iconic rockers at a special Star-Spangled Babies® shower hosted by its national, flagship nonprofit partner Operation Homefront. At the Southeast Armed Services YMCA in Colorado Springs, Colorado, employees from Cracker Barrel's surrounding locations volunteered to hand out the surprise rockers to the crowd of expecting and new moms who are active duty servicewomen and spouses of service members.

"Cracker Barrel is known as a home-away-from-home for our guests, and our support of military families is an extension of our commitment to connecting families around the table," said Cracker Barrel Manager of Corporate Citizenship Sloane Lucas. "The front porch of each Cracker Barrel store is lined with wooden rocking chairs, and relaxing in these rockers is one of our guests' favorite parts of visiting Cracker Barrel because it reminds them of being at home. Bringing our beloved rockers to the front porches of military moms-to-be is one way we are expressing our gratitude to them for the sacrifices they make."

Baby shower attendees connected with one another about their shared experiences and received advice and tips from parenting experts. Guests of the shower also took home toys, baby blankets and clothes donated through Cracker Barrel's support of Operation Homefront's 2017 Holiday Toy Drive. Since 2008, Operation Homefront has provided critical baby supplies to more than 17,000 military new and expecting moms.

"There's no better place to begin helping military families be strong, stable and secure than in a rocking chair with a new military mom," said Operation Homefront Chief Development Officer Margi Kirst. "A rocker provides a special place for family memories, especially for new moms. Every mom who received this wonderful gift from Cracker Barrel was so thrilled, and I know they will always be grateful as they create special memories with their child."

Due to deployments and frequent relocation, military parents-to-be often live far from their extended families and support systems. Like many new parents, they have questions, concerns and fears. The Star-Spangled Babies® showers provide these new and expectant parents with early childhood education tips and a support system when loved ones are far away.

The rockers were donated by Cracker Barrel through its annual Operation Rocker campaign. The program, where a rocker is donated to a deserving military family for every rocker purchased from Cracker Barrel online, began in 2016 and has resulted in nearly 2,000 rockers being given. This year's campaign will kick off June 29 and run through Labor Day.

Operation Homefront has served tens of thousands of military families across the country. The organization helps build strong, stable and secure military families by offering valuable programs addressing short-term and long-term stability. Cracker Barrel supports Operation Homefront's mission through a range of programs, including Operation Rocker, donations of holiday to-go meals to help military families enjoy a hassle-free celebration together, as well as seasonal retail promotions that offer Cracker Barrel guests an opportunity to support the work of Operation Homefront. Since the partnership began in 2016, Cracker Barrel has contributed nearly $900K through monetary and in-kind donations. To learn more, visit crackerbarrel.com/giving.

The 100-rocker delivery was donated by Averitt Express, a freight transportation and supply chain management company and partner of Cracker Barrel, and driven by Averitt's Bruce Fuehr, an Army veteran. 

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) shares warm welcomes and friendly service while offering guests quality homestyle food and unique shopping – all at a fair price. By creating a world filled with hospitality and charm through an experience that combines dining and shopping, guests are cared for like family. Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel and its affiliates operate 653 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations in 45 states and own the fast-casual Holler and Dash® restaurants. For more information about the company, visit crackerbarrel.com.

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation
The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation is a public benefit corporation created by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in 1993. The Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants to support numerous nonprofits and charitable programs. It also supports an annual Employee Scholarship Program, which recognizes and rewards the accomplishments of Cracker Barrel employees and their children who excel in their studies and serve their communities. For more information, click here.

About Operation Homefront
Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America's military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.

Media Contact:
Breeanna Straessle
media.relations@crackerbarrel.com
615-443-9589

Operation Homefront Media Contact:
Aaron Taylor
aaron.taylor@operationhomefront.org
210-549-4621

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SOURCE Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.