30 Non-Profits Receive Grants to Continue and Expand Programming to Invest in Underserved Youth
ST. LOUIS, April 4, 2023 – Today, the Panera Bread Foundation* announces 30 non-profit organizations will receive a collective $2 million from the Panera Bread Foundation Grant Program. The Panera Bread Foundation launched the grant program in 2021 to support non-profit organizations that provide access to education, opportunity, and mentorship to at-risk, underserved, or historically underrepresented children and youth.
“The 2023 grant award recipients are doing incredible work to help create a world in which young people can unlock their full potential, and we are proud to be a small part in helping them achieve their missions,” said Debbie Roberts, Panera Bread Chief Operating Officer, and President of the Panera Bread Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re also grateful for the generosity of our guests who rounded up their checks through our Give Change for Children program—because of them, we were able to more than triple the total grant amount this year.”
The Panera Bread Foundation envisions a world in which young people can unlock their full potential and dare to dream — a world in which opportunity and economic mobility are accessible and equitable for all. The Give Change for Children round-up program began last March and raised more than $1 million in 2022 to support the Panera Bread Foundation’s mission. At participating bakery-cafes, Panera Bread guests have the option to round-up their order total to the nearest dollar to help invest in underserved and at-risk children and youth. Give Change for Children is available in-cafe at the register, at the drive-thru and kiosk, and through web and mobile app ordering**.
Programs funded by the 2023 grant awards include: college readiness training including campus visits, application assistance and financial aid planning; STEAM programs to inspire youth to become leaders in science, technology, engineering, art and math; career readiness including internship programs and community job placement; afterschool and summer programs focused on robotics and computer programming; one-to-one mentoring for students and their families on a post-high school plan, and more. The full list of the Panera Bread Foundation’s 2023 Grant Award recipients includes:
• Achieve Miami Inc.
• An Achievable Dream
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Inc.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana
• Bottom Line
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties Inc
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Coastal Plain
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattanooga
• Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis
• Breakthrough Cincinnati Inc.
• College AIM, Inc.
• College Visions
• Foundation for a College Education
• Geeking Out Kids of Color
• GirlForward
• Girls Inc. of Alameda County
• Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest
• Institute for Community Leadership
• Life Pieces to Masterpieces
• Minds Matter Colorado
• Oasis – A Haven for Women and Children
• Quad County Urban League, Inc.
• Road to Hire
• STEER for Student Athletes
• Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County
• Tulsa Girls Art School
Serving its communities has always been an important part of the Panera Bread culture. As the Panera Bread Foundation focuses on helping children and youth unlock their leadership potential, the brand is also working internally to enable and empower BIPOC Panera associates and associates experiencing financial hardship to unlock their talents and potential through the Panera Dream Project®. 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. The Panera Dream Project functions separately from the Panera Bread Foundation but is part of Panera Bread’s larger mission of serving its associates and greater communities.
To learn more about the Panera Bread Foundation, 2023 grant award recipients or Give Change for Children, visit www.PaneraBread.com/Foundation.
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*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.
**The Give Change for Children program is available at participating U.S. Panera Bread® bakery-cafes to offer guests the option to round up their order total (including any applicable taxes, fees and charges) to the nearest dollar to donate the difference to the Panera Bread Foundation to support its mission of investing in underserved and at-risk children. The Give Change for Children program may be available in-cafe at the register, at the drive-thru and kiosk, and through web and mobile app ordering. The program is not available on catering orders or orders placed on third party delivery sites. All donations collected from the Give Change for Children program are donated to the Panera Bread Foundation, Inc. The Panera Bread Foundation, Inc. (EIN: 43-1950869) is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information visit: PaneraBread.com/Foundation.
About Panera Bread
Panera Bread opened in 1987 as a community bakery, founded with a secret sourdough starter and a belief that sharing great bread is an expression of warmth and generosity. That vision holds true today with a robust menu of delicious, chef-curated recipes created with a simple principle: The Familiar, Made Fantastic™. At Panera, we serve food that we are proud to serve our own families, made with responsibly raised proteins and freshly prepared with Clean ingredients–food that does not contain the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources set forth on our No-No list served in U.S. bakery-cafes. From crave-worthy soups, salads and sandwiches to flatbread pizza and sweets, we offer our guests more than great food. Our ethos of generosity drives us to meet our guests where they are through technology and through our shared values. We are stewards of our communities and the planet — with programs like Day-End Dough-Nation® that donates unsold baked goods in the evening to local non-profits, or labeling climate-friendly low carbon Cool Food Meals.
As of January 24, 2023 there were 2,112 bakery-cafes, company and franchise, 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 largest fast casual restaurant companies in the U.S., 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) Instagram (@panerabread) or TikTok (@panerabread).