Lemon-Aid for Kids Campaign at Panera Bread

Join Panera Bread to help children overcome life threatening illnesses through its Lemon-Aid for Kids campaign this summer. On Saturday, July 16, participating Greater Boston bakery-cafés will host outdoor Lemon-Aid stands where customers can donate $1 or more to benefit Children’s Hospital Boston, Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-Nation® partner.  The campaign will aid Children’s Hospital Boston in its mission to provide the highest quality health care to children and families from New England and across the globe.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, Panera Bread employees and volunteers will be rolling up their sleeves to staff Lemon-Aid for Kids stands outside participating bakery-cafes. Customers are invited to donate $1 or more in exchange for an ice-cold cup of Panera’s signature lemonade, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Hospital Boston. Panera Bread aims to raise $10,000 across participating Greater Boston bakery-cafes through the one-day fundraising event.

“At Panera Bread, we’re always looking for fun new ways to give back to our community, and we’re excited to host this Lemon-Aid for Kids summer event to benefit Children’s Hospital Boston,” said Michael Hamra, chief executive officer of Boston Bread, a franchisee of Panera Bread. “We are looking forward to enjoying Panera’s refreshing signature lemonade with neighbors from all over Greater Boston as we join together to help Children’s Hospital.”

Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School’s primary pediatric teaching hospital, is a leading source of life-saving care and ground-breaking research for children in New England and worldwide. Children’s Hospital has the largest research program at a children’s medical center. US News and World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” edition ranked Children’s Hospital first in more pediatric specialties than any other children’s hospital nationwide and was the only children’s hospital to rank in the top three in all ten specialties. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Children’s Hospital Boston today is a 392-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families.

“Panera Bread’s warm, welcoming, and fun environment is a perfect place to keep children’s spirits up and a smile on their faces,” said Carola Cadley, vice president of Corporate Development and Marketing at Children’s Hospital Trust.  “We’re honored to be working with them and appreciate every effort and dollar raised to help with our research and treatment.”

For more information on Panera Bread’s Lemon-Aid for Kids fundraiser and to see locations of lemonade stands, please visit www.facebook.com/panerabread. To learn more about Panera’s Operation Dough-Nation partnership with Children’s Hospital Boston, contact the Ebben Zall Group at (781) 449-3244. For additional information on Children’s Hospital Boston, visit www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.