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Local Voices

Local Panera Bread Bakery-Cafes Present $26,708 Annual Donation To Children's Friend

WAKEFIELD, 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 an annual donation to one of its charity partners, Children’s Friend, the state’s oldest child welfare organization based in Providence, Rhode Island.  The check, totaling $26,708, was recently presented to Children’s Friend at its 12th Annual Children’s Friend 5K Walk & Run Sponsored by Panera Bread which was held at Roger Williams Park.  Including the Panera donation, the Children’s Friend 5K Walk & Run raised over $83,000.  Despite the wet weather at the Walk & Run, participants also enjoyed a variety of entertainment, complimentary breakfast and lunch provided by Panera Bread Catering and more.

“Panera/Howley Bread Group’s generous donation of $26,708 was much appreciated and certainly more than we were ever expecting,” said David Caprio, President and Chief Executive Officer at Children’s Friend.  “Once again their commitment and support of Children’s Friend and the most vulnerable children in the state has been truly inspiring.  We remain honored and lucky to work as partners with Panera Bread.”

The $26,708 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, a Walk & Run Free Coffee Kick-Off fundraiser held on April 1st at participating bakery-cafes and a Walk & Run wristband donation campaign that was conducted for several weeks leading up to the event at each of the twelve participating bakery-cafes.

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Children's Friend, a non-profit organization founded in 1834, is Rhode Island's oldest child welfare organization and a leading provider of child welfare, family support, mental health and youth 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 2013.  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, Head Start, Early Head Start, Early Intervention, Family Counseling and Project Connect.

Howley Bread Group, LTD based in Cumberland, 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 contact wendy.kopp@panerabread.com or 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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