Panera Bread's Valentine Cookie Campaign Benefitting St. Joseph's Children's Hospital

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb 1, 2018) – Panera Bread will kick off a special Valentine cookie promotion benefitting St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute in 30 bakery-cafes throughout the Tampa Bay area. From February 1-14, participating Tampa-area Panera Bread bakery-cafes owned by Covelli Family Limited Partnership will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from every heart-shaped Valentine cookie purchased to the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. In the past seven years, Panera Bread has raised $172,760.70 from this campaign.

In addition, all contributions donated into Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-Nation Community Bread Boxes in the 30 participating cafes throughout February also will go to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. The freshly baked all-butter shortbread cookie is shaped like a heart and decorated for Valentine’s Day with festive designs.

“We are grateful to Panera Bread and its customers for their heartfelt generosity,” said St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital President Kate Reed. “Your support, shown through the simple act of purchasing a Valentine cookie, will make a difference in the lives of the pediatric cardiac patients we treat and their families.”

To wrap up the Valentine cookie promotion, Panera Bread will host a cookie decorating party for hospitalized kids at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and their families. During the special event, the young patients will decorate heart shaped cookies with frosting, sprinkles and candies and enjoy making Valentine crafts.

“We are thrilled that this will be our 8^th year partnering with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital” said Vikki Kaiser, director of marketing and public relations for Panera Bread. “We are fortunate to have such a dynamic hospital in our backyard whose mission is to provide the community with quality, compassionate health care. Together, with the help of our generous customers, we can open our hearts and raise needed money for the pediatric patients in our community.”

Find a participating Panera Bread neighborhood bakery-café at http://www.panera-florida.com.