Announcing the Winners of Annual Pier 1 Imports®/UNICEF/Owlkids Greeting Card Contest

TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - UNICEF Canada is pleased to announce that 11-year-old Justin of Ontario is the winner of the annual Pier 1 Imports^®/UNICEF/Owlkids Greeting Card Contest. Justin's design will become an official UNICEF greeting card sold exclusively at Pier 1 Imports stores across Canada during the 2014 holiday season.

This year's second-place winner is 11-year-old Sophia from Ontario, and in third place is 13-year-old Jocelyn from Ontario. This year's Canadian's Fan's Choice Award* recipient is 7-year-old Harmony from Ontario. The annual contest was launched in Canada in 2005 to help raise awareness about UNICEF's important work.

"Every year this contest provides Canadian children with the unique opportunity to use their creativity to help other children around the world" says UNICEF Canada's President and CEO David Morley. "Funds raised from the sale of the winning design will help provide simple life-saving essentials like clean water, vaccinations, medicines and therapeutic foods."

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of all UNICEF cards sold at Canadian Pier 1 Imports stores go to UNICEF Canada to support UNICEF's work reaching the world's most vulnerable children. To date, the partnership has raised more than $4 million for UNICEF Canada. The final proceeds of UNICEF greeting cards sold at Pier 1 Imports during the 2013 holiday season will be announced in the coming weeks.

Drawing upon the theme A Joyous Celebration, more than 500 children from across Canada entered this year's competition. Justin's brightly colored winning design depicts a penguin on a red background with "Joy" written on it to celebrate the joyous season. Along with having his design turned into an official UNICEF greeting card, Justin also won a $5,000 scholarship and $500 worth of art supplies for his school.

Sophia's second-place design depicts a winter scene with a sled in the background and children playing. Third-place winner Jocelyn's design depicts a group of snowmen playing in a winter scene. The winning design for the Canadian Fan's Choice Award by Harmony depicts a happy snowman on a blue background.

Congratulations to all of this year's contestants! To see the winning designs, please visit www.unicef.ca or www.pier1.ca/unicef.

*The Canadian Fan's Choice award winner is determined by visitors to the Pier 1 Imports website, www.pier1.ca, who are given the opportunity to vote for their favorite design out of 10 semifinalists.

About UNICEF
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries - more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive.

For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.ca

About Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports is the original global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. Information about the Company is available on www.pier1.ca.

About Owlkids
Owlkids, a division of Bayard Canada, publishes award-winning children's magazines and books that have been entertaining and enlightening kids for more than 35 years. For more information, please visit www.owlkids.com.

SOURCE: UNICEF Canada

Layal Horanieh, UNICEF Canada; 514-288-5134 ext. 8425 cell: 514-232-4510  [email protected]
Jennifer Engstrand, Pier 1 Imports Canada; 817-252-8130 [email protected]
Karen Devotta, Owlkids; 416-340-2700 [email protected]