Farmington Panera Bread Bakery-Cafe Announces Easter "Cookies For Kids!" Campaign to Benefit Channel 3 Kids Camp

FARMINGTON, CT, March 21, 2013 — Looking to make a sweet gesture to a local non-profit?  The fourteen Panera Bread/HBG bakery-cafes in Connecticut announce that they are currently conducting a “Cookies for Kids!” campaign through Easter Sunday, March 31^st where 10 percent of the sales from every freshly-baked Easter cookie sold will go directly to local charity, Channel 3 Kids Camp in Andover, Connecticut.  The egg-shaped shortbread cookies are decorated with yellow icing and topped with milk chocolate candies.  All the participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes, with locations in Bristol, Canton, Enfield, Farmington, Foxwoods, Glastonbury, Groton, Lisbon, Manchester (2), Newington, Waterford, West Hartford and Wethersfield), Connecticut, are owned by one of Panera’s top franchises, the Howley Bread Group, LTD of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

Since 1910, Channel 3 Kids Camp has offered children ages 6-16 from every county in Connecticut and throughout New England an accessible, inclusive and affordable overnight and day camping experience among the vast 350 acres along the Skungamaug River.  The mission of the Camp is to provide year-round opportunities to children, families, & communities through recreational and educational programs that promote friendships, learning and growth.  For more information, please visit www.channel3kidscamp.org, contact Channel 3 Kids Camp at 73 Times Farm Road, Andover, CT 06232 or call (860) 742-CAMP.

Over the past 10 years, Panera Bread/HBG and its loyal customers have helped collect and donate over $648,453 to its five local Operation Dough-Nation charity partners, as well as contributions to Haiti Relief, local hurricane and tornado relief through the American Red Cross and breast cancer awareness through the company’s Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign with area hospital partners.  Panera Bread/HBG has also donated $3 million dollars a year in bakery items to churches, shelters and food pantries as part of its Day End program.  Panera Bread/HBG has a Donations Department where organizations can request food donations for various non-profit fundraisers and events.  Please visit www.panerabreadhbg.com and click on “Donations, Partnerships and Charities” to either request a donation or see more about our Operation Dough-Nation partners.

All Panera Bread locations are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer a variety of menu items -- including breads and bagels, breakfast sandwiches, creative lunch and dinner sandwiches, hand-tossed salads, homemade soups and a variety of espresso beverages.  Panera Bread Catering also caters and delivers its full menu for any occasion at the office or home. The breakfast, lunch and dinner assortment is sure to impress every time.  For a Panera Bread Catering menu and more, please visit a cafe or www.paneracatering.com.

All the participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes are owned by one of Panera’s top franchises, the Howley Bread Group, LTD of Cumberland, RI.  The franchisee owns and operates a total of twenty-five bakery-cafes in: Greater Hartford/Eastern, CT (Bristol, Canton, Enfield, Farmington,  Foxwoods, Glastonbury, Groton, Lisbon, Manchester (2), Newington, Waterford, West Hartford and Wethersfield); Southeastern, MA (North Attleborough, North Dartmouth, Plainville and Seekonk); and RI (Providence, Cranston, Warwick, East Greenwich, Newport, Smithfield and Wakefield) markets.  For more information, please contact one of Howley Bread Group’s Panera Bread bakery-cafes in the area or visit the company’s web site at www.panerabreadhbg.com.