It’s that time of year again. On March 12, IHOP will celebrate its annual IHOP Free Pancake Day, so mark your calendar as a cheat day since you should be eating pancakes for a good cause.

This year, the event is called Flip It Forward for Kids and will be held at participating restaurants across the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines, on Tuesday, March 12 from 7 am until at least 7 pm, though some locations may extend the promotion until 10 pm.

Each guest is entitled to one free short stack of Original Buttermilk pancakes. In exchange, diners are asked to make a donation to one of IHOP’s charity partners: Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

IHOP has also encouraged children being treated at a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital to submit original pancake recipes. Three participants will be selected as “junior chef” finalists and will be invited to visit the IHOP test kitchen to prepare their pancakes. The winner will be announced on February 25.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a North American non-profit organization, raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research, and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1983 by the Osmond family, John Schneider, Mick Shannon, and Joe Lake, has its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4.7 billion, which is distributed directly to a network of 170 hospitals.

“Every year we look forward to kicking off our IHOP Free Pancake Day Flip it Forward for Kids campaign because it combines the two things we love most—pancakes and helping our communities,” Stephanie Peterson, IHOP’s Executive Director of Communications, said.

“Our new event name reflects our desire to do good and support charities like Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. All three of our IHOP Kid Chef finalists—Coleman, Nellie and Brody—inspired us with their incredible stories of courage and wowed us with their creative pancake recipes. We can’t wait to see what they do next as the possibilities are endless, thanks in large part, to the care they received at a CMN Hospital,” she added.

To make a donation to one of the charities, it is not necessary to wait until Free Pancake Day. IHOP customers can purchase a wall icon at restaurants before March 12. A donation of at least $5 includes a $5 off coupon. Guests can also contribute a cash donation on their bill and in restaurants until the end of March as well.

RELATED: Get A Pancake Pizza From IHOP For National Pizza Day

IHOP restaurants began National Pancake Day in 2006. Since then, the company has raised nearly $30 million for children’s charities. All IHOP restaurants in the United States will be participating as well as IHOP restaurants in Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines. The company expects to serve a record-breaking five million pancakes on March 12.

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