Chipotle Mexican Grill is joining forces with the non-profit organization FamilyFarmed.org for a national fund-raising program to support its efforts to create new markets for sustainable farmers. For the past few years, FamilyFarmed.org has worked with Chipotle to help support sustainable food systems that match its "Food With Integrity" philosophy and its quest for ingredients that are raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers.

"Chipotle has always used the highest quality ingredients possible," said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. "The partnership with FamilyFarmed.org is a way for us to support them, while building this movement for us and other buyers of local and sustainable food."

The fundraiser is part of an online contest called "Wrap What You Love" where Chipotle lovers submit photos of objects they love wrapped in gold foil. Chipotle offers prizes for the most creative submissions, including five 24-karat gold Chipotle burrito coins and $10,000 in cash. The online campaign also raises money for the 501-c-3 non-profit FamilyFarmed.org in support of its programs to help family farmers bring more local food to market. For more information on the contest visit: Chipotle.com/gold.

"We are grateful to expand our strategic partnership with Chipotle," said FamilyFarmed.org president Jim Slama. "This funding will help us to build our capacity to help local and sustainable food farmers to access companies like Chipotle and other large customers. It will also help us to expand the scope of our FamilyFarmed EXPO, a leading trade show and conference for local food farmers and artisan food producers."

Chipotle's commitment to Food With Integrity has led the company to serve more naturally raised meat and local produce than any other restaurant company in the country - about 100 million pounds in all for 2011. In addition, 100% of Chipotle's dairy (cheese and sour cream) is made with milk from cows that are not treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) and an increasing percentage of its dairy now comes form cow that are given access to pasture. Chipotle will also source more than 10 million pounds of produce from local farms during 2011.

About Chipotle Mexican Grill 

Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food from using ingredients that are not only fresh, but that where possible are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. A similarly focused people culture, with an emphasis on identifying and empowering top performing employees, enables us to develop future leaders from within. Chipotle opened with a single restaurant in 1993 and currently operates nearly 1,100 restaurants. For more information, visit Chipotle.com.