Limited-edition cereal helps Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism approach $50 million raised while creating meaningful work for adults with disabilities in the St. Louis region

ST. PETERS, MO., OCTOBER 7, 2026 — A beloved cereal with a 28-year history of supporting autism causes is returning, and Boone Center, Inc. (BCI) is helping bring it to consumers.

BCI, a St. Peters-based nonprofit that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities, is distributing the limited-edition return of Flutie Flakes. The partnership connects two organizations with a shared commitment to creating opportunities for people with disabilities and supporting their full participation in their communities.

Flutie Flakes first hit store shelves in 1998, when former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie and Ballou Sports & Entertainment launched the cereal to raise money for the newly established Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. The original goal was $10,000. More than 3.2 million boxes were ultimately sold, generating more than $1 million for the Foundation in the first year alone.

Now, more than 25 years later, Flutie Flakes is returning in a limited-edition run as the Foundation approaches a historic milestone: $50 million raised for autism awareness and support.

“Flutie Flakes and Ballou Sports & Entertainment have had a great relationship from Day 1,” Flutie said. “Here we are, over 25 years later, closing in on $50 million. We raised over $1 million in that first year for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, and it hasn’t stopped.”

For BCI, the partnership brings that history to life through meaningful employment.

BCI employs more than 230 adults with disabilities through its Organizational Employment program at its St. Peters and Lincoln County locations. Employees perform a wide range of packaging and light manufacturing work for businesses and national brands, building skills, contributing to quality products and earning a paycheck for work that matters.

Flutie Flakes is among the latest products to be handled by BCI’s workforce.

“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,” said BCI CEO Troy Compardo. “Our teammates working on Flutie Flakes are skilled workers doing meaningful work for a national brand. We’re proud of the role they play in bringing this product to life — and especially proud that the product itself gives back to the same community they represent.”

Limited-edition Flutie Flakes are available online at https://flutieflakescereal.com/, with options including two-packs, cases of 12 boxes, and bundles featuring limited-edition hats and shirts. Proceeds benefit the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

“When Doug and Laurie launched the foundation, they had no idea what it would become 28 years later,” said Nick Savarese, executive director of the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. “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.”

Ty Ballou, president of Ballou Sports & Entertainment, has been involved with Flutie Flakes since its beginning and said the cereal's return is an opportunity to celebrate both its history and its impact.

“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,” Ballou said. “When the opportunity to bring back one of the final boxes to help hit the $50 million mark for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, not only was I honored, but I was overwhelmed with nostalgia and joy that this product has brought so many fans.”

The Flutie Foundation was established by Doug and Laurie Flutie after their son, Doug Jr., was diagnosed with autism. Today, the Foundation helps people and families affected by autism live life to the fullest.

The limited-edition cereal is available at https://flutieflakescereal.com/.