Wakefield Panera Bread Helps Contribute Thousands to RI Food Bank

Through Panera Bread’s new partnership with Feeding America, its location at 160 Old Tower Hill Road in Wakefield, along with the six other bakery-cafes in Rhode Island (Cranston, East Greenwich, Newport, Providence, Smithfield, and Warwick) recently announced their first donation of $3,264.14 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in Providence. 

The third quarter donations were collected through the cafes’ ongoing Panera Cares Community Breadbox Program which gives customers the opportunity to donate money at the register to support the Food Bank’s efforts to provide nutritious food the Rhode Islanders in need. The seven participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes are owned and operated by Panera Bread franchisee, Howley Bread Group, LTD based in Cumberland, who will be opening a new location in Lincoln next month which will also participate in the program.

“With the need for food assistance at an all time high in the state, the timing of this donation could not be better,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer, Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “As a Feeding America member food bank, we feel fortunate to be the beneficiaries of this new partnership with Panera Bread. I would like to thank Panera’s customers for giving to the Food Bank through the Panera Cares Community Breadbox Program, whether it was a recent gift or one in the future.”