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Panera Bread donates 1,000 filled backpacks for kids in need

SANFORD, Fla. — For children at some of our local schools, the beginning of a new school year can be daunting. Getting the supplies they need is challenging for some of these children and their families. Panera Bread recognizes the need for supplies for these students, to which is why they pledged to donate 1,000 supply filled backpacks to these students in need.

Throughout the month of August, Panera matched donations from their Operation Doughnation Bread boxes in order to make this donation to A Gift For Teaching- Seminole. The supply filled backpacks will be donated directly to the teachers. This will ensure that the much needed supplies go directly to students and into their desks at school. The students will be able to take home a brand new backpack, a re-usable water bottle and hand sanitizer.

“Backpacks for Kids in Need” an initiative launched by Panera Bread throughout the month of August, aims to match contributions by its customers, dollar for dollar, in order to supply 1,000 backpacks full of supplies to local teachers in Seminole County Public Schools.

“We are proud of the community’s support of our fundraising efforts. We wanted to give back to the students and teachers that need supplies, in a non-traditional way. This is the perfect fit!” said Annette Ford, Central Florida Panera Bread franchise owner.

Ford added, “On Wednesday September 18th at 4pm, we will be presenting the supply filled backpacks to Seminole County School Teachers at the A Gift For Teaching-Seminole store (free teacher store), 1780 W. Airport Blvd, Sanford, 32771.”