Panera Bread presented a $9,500 check to Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber on January 19 at the Johnstown Panera Bread bakery-cafe. Windber Medical Center and Panera Bread partnered on multiple initiatives throughout 2015 including Panera’s Operation Dough-Nation program, the Pieces of Hope for Autism cookie campaign, and the Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign.
“We are proud to partner with Panera Bread on campaigns throughout the year and grateful for their generous donation,” commented Kim Oleksa, development/fundraising coordinator at Windber Medical Center. “Their support helps us to continue providing personalized, quality healthcare services to our community.”
“Panera Bread is thrilled to be able to support Windber Medical Center and the Johnstown community,” said Sam Covelli, owner/operator of Covelli Enterprises, the largest franchisee of Panera Bread. “At Panera Bread we strive to make a positive difference in the community. The partnership with Windber Medical Center enables us to do that.”
Panera Bread’s program known as Operation Dough-Nation utilizes Community Bread Boxes located near the cafe registers to collect cash donations for local causes. All cash and spare change donations collected in the boxes at the Johnstown and Altoona Panera bakery-cafes during 2015 were donated to Windber Medical Center.
Covelli Enterprises continues to believe that community involvement is the backbone of their business. In 2015, the company donated more than $23 million dollars to charity.
Pictured, left to right: Kim Oleksa, Windber Medical Center development/fundraising coordinator; Natalie Mikula, Covelli Enterprises regional marketing coordinator; and JP Thompson, Panera Bread – Johnstown store manager.