Local Panera Bread Bakery-Cafes Raise Dough For Children’s Friend Through 5K Walk and Run

LINCOLN, RI, — Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group announces that its twelve local bakery-cafes in Rhode Island and Massachusetts (Cranston, East Greenwich, Lincoln, Newport, Providence, Smithfield, Wakefield and Warwick, Rhode Island and North Attleborough, North Dartmouth, Plainville and Seekonk, Massachusetts) assisted in the generation of a $20,000 donation to one of its charity partners, Children’s Friend, the state’s oldest child welfare organization based in Providence, Rhode Island.  The check was recently presented to Children’s Friend at its 13^th Annual Children’s Friend 5K Walk & Run Sponsored by Panera Bread which was held at Roger Williams Park Temple to Music.  Participants also enjoyed a variety of entertainment, complimentary breakfast and lunch provided by Panera Bread Catering and more.

The $20,000 donation included Panera Bread/Howley Bread Group’s commitment as the name sponsor of the Walk & Run, which encompassed website fundraising by cafe teams who participated, and a Walk & Run silly band donation campaign that was conducted for several weeks leading up to the event at each of the twelve participating bakery-cafes. Including the Panera donation, the Children’s Friend 5K Walk & Run raised over $90,000.

“We are so grateful for Panera and Howley Bread Group’s hard work and generosity in helping to make the 2015 Walk & Run a complete success,” said David Caprio, President and Chief Executive Officer at Children’s Friend.  “Panera’s commitment to working with non-profit organizations in its service areas to assist those in need is truly a part of the company’s DNA and all the communities they serve are the better for it.  Panera’s gift to us is just the latest example of this giving culture at Panera and we will make sure the donation helps the state’s most vulnerable kids.”

Children’s Friend, a non-profit organization founded in 1834, is Rhode Island’s oldest child welfare organization and a leading provider of family support, mental health and child development services.  With centers in Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls, Children’s Friend served more than 31,000 of Rhode Island’s most vulnerable children and their families in 2014.  The agency’s programs range from Adoption, Foster Care, Birth Parent Counseling, Child Care and Adoption Support and Preservation, to Dads Making A Difference, WIC, Early Head Start, Head Start, Early Intervention, Family Counseling and Project Connect.

Howley Bread Group, LTD based in Lincoln, Rhode Island, a franchise of Panera Bread, owns and operates a total of 28 bakery-cafes in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Greater Hartford/Eastern Connecticut markets.  For more information, please visit the company’s web site at www.panerabreadhbg.com.  Also, like HBG on Facebook at /howleybreadgroup and follow the company on Twitter @panerabreadhbg to hear about upcoming new and returning menu items, community involvement and events, employment opportunities, Panera culture and much more!

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