Panera Lisbon Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT:
David Hughes, Dodge Associates
(401) 273-7310 dave@dodgeadv.com

PANERA LISBON TO DONATE PROCEEDS FROM OCTOBER
PINK RIBBON BAGEL AND CATERING SALES TO
DAY KIMBALL HEALTHCARE DURING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

CUMBERLAND, RI, October 6, 2011 —Panera Bread in Lisbon, CT is once again inviting its customers to join the fight against breast cancer by enjoying their signature Pink Ribbon Bagel for breakfast, lunch or dinner during national Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. In celebration of the Pink Ribbon Bagel Campaign’s 10-year anniversary, twenty-five cents from each Pink Ribbon Bagel sold and one dollar from each Power of Pink Bagel Pack sold at the Lisbon bakery-cafe, located at 160 River Road, will be donated to Day Kimball Healthcare for its breast health programs and initiatives. Panera Lisbon customers can also help by mentioning the hospital or saying “Cater Pink” when placing a Panera Catering order and 10 percent of all October catering sales will be donated to the cause. (Please visit the participating cafes or paneracatering.com for a catering menu.) The Panera Bread in Lisbon is one of many bakery-cafes owned and operated by leading franchisee, Howley Bread Group, LTD based in Cumberland, RI.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner once again with Panera Bread and its Pink Ribbon Bagel Campaign,” said Charlene Leith-Bushey, director of communications at Day Kimball. The Campaign is a great way to not only raise funds for our specific programs but to also promote the importance of early detection and breast cancer education and awareness.”

The Panera Pink Ribbon Bagel is baked fresh daily in each of Panera Bread’s bakery-cafes and features cherry chips, dried cherries, cranberries, vanilla, honey and brown sugar. The project follows the tradition of “thinking pink” during the month of October in the quest to eradicate breast cancer disease. Sue Stees, one of Panera Bread’s first franchisees and a breast cancer survivor, developed the idea for the Pink Ribbon Bagel in 2001 as a way to help support the cause. Today, the program is employed in most of Panera Bread’s more than 1,275 bakery-cafes across the country.

“Panera Bread and Howley Bread Group are committed to serving the residents of the local community, many of whom have had their lives touched by breast cancer,” said Sean Noel, district manager for Panera Bread/HBG. “We’re honored to support Day Kimball Healthcare again in their continuing efforts to increase the awareness of breast cancer.”

Day Kimball Healthcare is a non-profit, integrated medical services provider comprised of Day Kimball Hospital, healthcare centers in Danielson, Plainfield and Thompson, Day Kimball HomeCare, Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern CT, Day Kimball HomeMakers and Day Kimball Physician Practices.

Day Kimball Healthcare’s service area includes Northeast Connecticut as well as nearby Massachusetts and Rhode Island communities. Day Kimball Healthcare’s comprehensive network offers more than 1,200 employees including nearly 300 highly-skilled physicians, surgeons and specialists. It is a comprehensive healthcare system offering primary care and a multitude of medical and surgical specialties along with leading-edge technology and sophisticated diagnostics.

The mission of Day Kimball Healthcare is to meet the health needs of their community through their core values of clinical quality, customer service, fiscal responsibility and local control.

Panera Bread/HBG’s local cafes also support charitable causes through its Operation Dough-Nation® program. Since it was founded in 1992 to formalize Panera’s commitment to community involvement, Operation Dough-Nation® has contributed both monetary and bread donations through its Community Breadbox™ and Day-End Dough-Nation™ programs to local food pantries, hunger relief agencies and other community organizations. In 2010, Panera Bread bakery-cafes collectively donated a retail value of more than $50 million dollars worth of bread and baked goods to charitable organizations helping to address the need for food distribution in our local communities.

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 the cafe or www.paneracatering.com.

Howley Bread Group, LTD based in Cumberland, RI is one of Panera Bread’s top franchises in the country. The franchisee owns and operates a total of twenty-two bakery-cafes in RI, Southeastern MA and Greater Hartford/Eastern CT markets. For more information, please contact wendy.kopp@panerabread.com or visit the company’s web site at www.panerabreadhbg.com.