ST. LOUIS, March 1, 2022 – Today, Panera Bread announces the evolution of the Panera Bread Foundation* with a refreshed and focused mission: to support and strengthen communities by investing in underserved and at-risk children and youth to become leaders.
Starting today, participating U.S. Panera Bread company-owned bakery-cafes will launch a round-up program, Give Change for Children, to support the Panera Bread Foundation. Panera Bread guests will have the option to round-up their total final check to the nearest dollar to help underserved and at-risk children and youth. Give Change for Children will be available in-cafe at the register, at the drive-thru and kiosk, and through web and mobile ordering**.
“The Panera Bread Foundation is proud of our recent refresh which supports our vision for the future and our work to further our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy,” said Debbie Roberts, Chief Operating Officer at Panera Bread and President of the Panera Bread Foundation Board of Directors. “We hope that our contributions will help support a world in which young people can unlock their full potential and dare to dream, and where opportunity and economic mobility are accessible and equitable for all. We are grateful to play a role in providing these necessary resources in our local communities.”
The Panera Bread Foundation officially launched a grant application program in the fall of 2021, and 17 non-profit organizations have been chosen as the Foundation’s inaugural grant partners. These grant partners are deeply committed to investing in underserved and at-risk children and youth and providing resources to inspire them to become leaders in their local communities. Recipient organizations include STEAM:CODERS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint, Girls Inc. of St. Louis, and more.
Serving its communities has always been an important part of the Panera Bread culture. As the Panera Bread Foundation refocuses on helping children and youth unlock their leadership potential, the brand is also working internally to build leaders focusing on those who are underserved and under resourced. Through the Panera Dream Project®, Panera Bread enables and empowers BIPOC Panera Bread associates and associates experiencing financial hardship to unlock their talents and potential. Through greater access to education, enhanced training experiences and new paths to leadership and ownership, Panera Bread aims to accelerate associate growth and reduce barriers to success.
As Panera Bread launches these new programs, the company also plans to continue its longstanding Day-End Dough-Nation® program. Through the Day-End Dough-Nation program, at the closing of bakery-cafes, associates box up unsold breads, bagels, muffins and pastries, and donate them to local non-profit organizations focused on fighting hunger in our communities. Annually, Panera Bread company-owned bakery-cafes donate more than $100 million retail value worth of baked goods to over 3,500 local non-profits.
The Panera Dream Project and the Day-End Dough-Nation program function separately from the Panera Bread Foundation but are part of Panera Bread’s larger mission of serving its associates and greater communities.
To learn more about the Panera Bread Foundation and the Give Change for Children program, visit Panerabread.com/panerafoundation.
*The Panera Bread Foundation, Inc. is a public charity and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as
an organization described in section 501(c)(3). Our Employer Identification Number is 43-1950869.**Give Change for Children: Starting February
28, 2022, in participating U.S. company-owned Panera Bread bakery-cafes, the Panera Bread Foundation, Inc.’s “Give Change for Children”
program will allow customers the opportunity to round up their final check total (including any applicable taxes, fees and charges) on in-cafe,
drive-thru and digital purchases, including Kiosk, to the nearest dollar as a donation to the Panera Bread Foundation, Inc. Give Change for Children
is not available on catering orders or orders placed on third party delivery sites. For more information visit: Panerabread.com/panerafoundation.
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About Panera Bread
30 years ago, at a time when quick service meant low quality, Panera set out to challenge this expectation. We believed that food that was good and that you could feel good about, served in a warm and welcominge nvironment by people who cared, could bring out the best in all of us. To us, that is food as it should beand that is why we exist.
So, we began with a simple commitment: to bake bread fresh every day in our bakery-cafes. No short cuts, just bakers with simple ingredients and hot ovens. Each night, any unsold bread and baked goods were shared with neighbors in need.
These traditions carry on today, as we have continued to find ways to be an ally for wellness to our guests. That means crafting a menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches that we are proud to feed our families. Like poultry and pork raised without antibiotics on our salads and sandwiches. A commitment to transparency and options that empower our guests to eat the way they want. Seasonal flavors and whole grains. And a commitment to Clean food, which is food that does not contain the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources set forth on our No-No list in the food in our U.S. bakery-cafes. Why? Because we think that simpler is better and we believe in serving food as it should be. Because when you don’t have to compromise to eat well, all that is left is the joy of eating.
We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we now offer new ways to enjoy your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests.
As of December 28, 2021, there were 2,118 bakery-cafes in 48 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the world’s largest fast casual restaurant companies, comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).
