Covelli Enterprises launched its “Chip In for Dayton” fundraising campaign at nearly 100 Dayton, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Central Ohio Panera Bread bakery-cafés on June 3, and through June 16, the company earmarked for donation 25 cents to support tornado relief. More than 100,000 cookies were sold. In addition to the cookie fundraiser, Panera continued to raise additional funds for the cause through the end of June through its “Round Up” program at the registers, in which customers could donate the change from their order to the relief efforts.
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Officials with Covelli Enterprises will present the check to representatives of The Dayton Foundation at 2:30 p.m. today, July 23, at the Austin Landing Panera Bread location at 10551 Innovation Drive.
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Warren, Ohio-based Covelli Enterprises is the nation’s largest Panera franchisee, operating 315 Panera Bread bakery-cafe locations in eight states, including 13 in the Dayton region.
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***PREVIOUS COVERAGE: (June 20, 2019)***
Panera Bread customers across the state showed their love for Dayton and its storm victims by purchasing more than 100,000 cookies at Panera cafes during the first two full weeks of June. Their sweet tooth and generosity, combined with a Panera franchisee’s generosity, resulted in a $50,000 contribution to the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation, Panera officials announced today, June 20.
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Nearly 100 Dayton, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Central Ohio Panera Bread bakery-cafés operated by Warren, Ohio-based Covelli Enterprises, the largest franchisee of Panera Bread, participated in The “Chip In for Dayton” fundraising campaign that was held from June 3 through June 16.
During that time, Covelli committed to donating to tornado relief 25 cents for every cookie it sold; in addition, a “round-up” fundraising program at the cafes’ checkouts also generated money to benefit victims of the Memorial Day tornadoes. The “round-up” program will continue through the end of the month.
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“Our goal is to give the people in the region as many ways to get involved in the relief effort as possible,” Sam Covelli, owner of Covelli Enterprises, said in a release. “We want the families affected to know they have our support, and they are not alone in this.”
Covelli officials suggested the cookie fundraising idea was a hit with diners.
“Our customers’ response to our ‘Chip In For Dayton’ fundraiser was a powerful example of the strength of a community coming together to support one another. Our bakers and café teams worked overtime to meet the demand for cookies,” Jessica Vogel, regional marketing manager for Covelli Enterprises, told this news outlet in an email today.
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The Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund, was created by The Dayton Foundation to quickly respond to the most urgent needs within the community including food, water, clothing, and shelter for families affected by the storms, as well as to assist in long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts in the affected areas. The Foundation will distribute funds among several organizations including the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the Dayton Foodbank.
***ORIGINAL STORY (June 3, 2019)***
The Dayton area’s Panera Bread franchisee announced this morning the launch of an emergency fundraising campaign it is calling “Chip in for Dayton” in its Dayton, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and Central Ohio Panera bakery-cafés.
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For every cookie sold starting today, June 3, through June 16, Covelli Enterprises, Panera’s largest franchisee, will donate 25 cents to the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation to support relief efforts for local victims of the region’s Memorial Day tornadoes.
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In addition to the “Chip in for Dayton” fundraiser, Covelli Enterprises also committed all Panera bakery-cafes in Dayton and Central Ohio to raising additional funds for the cause during the month of June through its “Change Roll-up” program at the registers.
Warren, Ohio-based Covelli Enterprises owns and operates 13 Panera Bread bakery-cafe locations in the Dayton region, and 315 in eight states.
In the last four years, Covelli and Panera have opened new restaurants in Huber Heights, Englewood and Butler County. It also opened a bakery facility in West Chester in 2015.
Sam Covelli, owner and operator of Covelli Enterprises, began working with vendors to source urgent donations for victims shortly after the tornadoes struck. Covelli and his company arranged the donation of 35,000 bottles of water that was delivered late last week to the Dayton Foodbank. The delivery was made possible thanks to the help of Covelli Enterprises’ partners Pink Ribbon Girls and United Building Materials, according to a Covelli Enterprises release.
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“We’re doing all we can to help the situation in our Dayton-area neighborhoods, and we invite all other community stakeholders to do the same,” Covelli said. “Our goal is to give the people in the region as many ways to get involved in the relief effort as possible. We want the families affected to know they have our support and they are not alone in this.”
All cookies are baked fresh daily by Panera bakers, and the purchase of any cookie of any kind within participating Panera cafes in the region at any price point will benefit the “Chip in for Dayton” fundraiser, Covelli officials said.
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