Limited-edition cereal to help the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism reach record goals for autism awareness and support
From the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation,
Doug Flutie is no stranger to comebacks and Flutie Flakes is making a comeback to help the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism reach $50 million in donations.
To get this historic box, go to www.flutieflakescereal.com and see the bundles with limited edition cereal bowls, hats and shirts.
The cereal is also available at Giant Food Mart of Wellsville and Cuba as well as Market in the Square in West Seneca and North Tonawanda.
In 1998, the former NFL quarterback, worked with Ty Ballou, president of Ballou Sports & Entertainment to reach a modest goal of $10,000 for the foundation.
Flutie Magic struck on and off the field. On the field, Flutie ran a bootleg for a last-second touchdown to help lift the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs. Sports fans across the nation bought over 3.2 million boxes of cereal.
As a result, the Flutie Foundation has raised nearly $50 million for autism awareness and causes since its inception.
“Flutie Flakes and Ballou Sports & Entertainment have had a great relationship from Day 1,” Flutie said. “Here we are, over 25 years later we are closing in on $50 million…… We timed it up with starting the foundation and at the same time, Flutie Flakes came out. Then, I started playing and it went through the roof. We raised over $1 million in that first year for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism and it hasn’t stopped.”
Flutie gets asked often about Flutie Flakes and many fans are looking to not only eat the new cereal but add another box to the collection.
“Some people kept the original boxes from over 25 years ago and t-shirts you could only get by cutting out something from the box. There was no internet like today where you can order the box and shirts now. To see some of the memorabilia people had from back in the day is pretty amazing.”
On the website, you can order a two-pack of the cereal or bundles with the Flutie Flakes hat or shirt. There is also an option to buy a case of 12 boxes. In 1998, stores limited sales to two boxes per customer.
“I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes and entertainers, and nothing compares to Flutie Flakes, or the way the Bills fans and the nation embraced the foundation Doug and Laurie Flutie created,” said Ty Ballou, President of Ballou Sports & Entertainment. “When the opportunity to bring back one of the final boxes to help hit the $50 million mark for the Flutie Foundation, not only was I honored, but I was overwhelmed with nostalgia and joy this product has brought so many fans.”
The original Flutie Flakes was an early peek into what the Bills Mafia could accomplish when football fans come together for a good cause. The original red Flutie Flakes shirts on the website are a limited edition and produced by the co-founder of the Bills Mafia, 26 Shirts owner Del Reid.
“Raising money for charity and causes is what we founded 26 Shirts on. To have a part in helping Doug Flutie and Flutie Flakes raise $50 million for autism awareness is something I never dreamed of watching Doug lead the Bills to the playoffs when the first box came out,” said Reid.
Nick Savarese is the Executive Director of the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.
“When Doug and Laurie launched the foundation they had no idea what it would become 28 years in the making. They took it from what they thought was going to be a small thing to a real, live foundation which has a great impact on so many people, and really, it was because of Flutie Flakes,” Savarese said. “That’s what turned it from 10 to 15 thousand dollars to where we are today. We are doing a new run of Flutie Flakes and hopefully, this fall, we reach $50 million raised for people with autism and their families over the course of our foundation’s history. And it’s all due to Doug and Laurie, and really, Flutie Flakes.”
A small foundation has now helped to increase awareness for autism to a global level.
“We spend so much time during our work helping with the autism community that we often don’t take time to sit back and say, ‘Wow.’ But Doug and Laurie get stopped all the time on the streets and people say ‘thank you.’ They talk about having a child with autism, Savarese said. “They felt they were going through the struggle alone. But not anymore. It has really impacted a lot of families. There is still a lot of work to do, but today, there are sensory rooms in the new Highmark Stadium (home of the Buffalo Bills) and so much impact across the country.”
During the launch of the new Flutie Flakes, Doug is being honored as the Legend of the Game between the Bills and the New England Patriots at the new stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
“Seeing the fans react the way they have reacted is amazing. The fans in Buffalo really appreciate the years I was here and it was really a special time for me as well. It is just a blessing to see all the faces and the smiles and to know they remember and they were happy I was a Bill at one time,” Flutie said.
Flutie Flakes will be distributed by Boone Center, Inc. (BCI), a nonprofit dedicated to creating employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Headquartered in St. Peters, Missouri, BCI employs more than 230 adults with disabilities through its Organizational Employment program and supports hundreds more each year through vocational training and community employment services.
“The Flutie Foundation’s mission is to help people and families with autism live life to the fullest. That’s something we believe in at BCI every day. Our teammates packing Flutie Flakes are skilled, able workers doing meaningful work for a national brand. We’re proud of the role they play in bringing this product to life — and even prouder that the product itself gives back to the same community they represent.”
About the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism:
Former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie and his wife Laurie, founded the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism in 1998 after their son, Dougie, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Inspired by their family’s journey, the Flutie Foundation has raised over $45 million for schools and organizations providing clinical therapies, respite care, recreational programs, social skills training, job support, and more. The foundation also delivers education technology tools, adaptive camp scholarships, safety equipment, and direct family support through strategic partnerships and special initiatives. For more information, please visit https://flutiefoundation.org/
