Sometimes, it takes a crisis to bring out the best in us, also in big business.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, important business services large and small must adapt quickly to customer demand, and all within a new set of prevention and safety parameters. Many have risen to the test of survival, and even flourished. Some have succeeded in doing so while showing gratitude and empathy through sufficient philanthropic efforts.

Panera Bread has been able to continue serving loyal customers throughout the Coronavirus ordeal, as most of their 2,174 bread cafes across the country and Canada remain open, said Scott Nelson, vice president of marketing for the company.

“Nearly 90 percent of Panera cafes are able to remain open during the crisis with at least roadside deliveries, drive-thru or without contact,” he said.
The good news is that it means the continuation of Panera’s “Day-End Donation-Nation.”

“Every night in every cafe, we donate unsold bread and baked goods to local non-profit organizations in each of our communities,” Nelson said. “Last year, we donated more than $ 100 million [worth] baked goods to more than 4,000 local non-profit organizations. “

Fortunately for 140,000 employees, the restaurant chain acknowledged the valiant efforts of their colleagues since the beginning of the pandemic, because they quickly adapted to the brand’s off-premise model. Their sending workers’ efforts, in particular, were highlighted through “From One Neighbor to Another Neighbor” commercial video campaign.

“This effort began early in the pandemic when our shipping business was very important to the environment in which we live, and our desire to ensure good fresh food is accessible to all during an unprecedented time,” Nelson said.

Companies reach out to cafes and franchise partners to find drivers who they think the company should shine.

Such sincere editorials were shot on the driver’s smartphone.

“We want to tell the extraordinary story of them being in the empty streets, the front lines, delivering food safely throughout America.”

The belief that good food must be accessible to all is a principle adopted by Panera, and has diligently found ways to provide food for those who face food scarcity during the global health crisis.

Through partnership with The Hunger Alliance for Children (CHA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Panera provides freshly prepared healthy food for needy children in Ohio, Nelson said, and, through local franchise partners, “improving supply chains and bakery cafes to provide fast food that is has just been prepared for CHA for children who are vulnerable to starvation throughout the state. “

In connection with non-profit organizations and other local schools throughout the country, the company has improved this model, providing more than 65,000 school meals.

“We continue to look for partners who need food delivered, even during the summer months when school is not around,” Nelson said.

Building their long-term partnership with domestic hunger relief organizations, Feed America, Panera moved quickly with them to provide freshly prepared food to people in need through a network of charity food banks. A joint altruistic effort is a much needed boost, because charities estimate that 17.1 million people could face hunger in the next six months as a result of a pandemic, according to a recent press release.

To expand the reach of this collaboration, Panera switched to their online platform.

“Panera has a great social voice [nearly 500,000 Instagram followers] and we want to try to use it to do good during this crisis and help raise awareness of the needs that are out there now, “Nelson said.” We are launching #SeeAPlateFillAPlate the challenge on Instagram on April 24 inspired Americans to donate and fill plates for someone in need, “Nelson said. “Until now we have been able to provide more than 340,000 meals nationwide.”

Generosity also comes in the form of music. New single, “Say the Word,” written and performed by record artist Elektra, Livingston, gave a portion of the proceeds to Feeding America in partnership with the Panera Together Without Hunger campaign.

Lifting their hats to the frontline workers, Panera also launched Food for Heroes initiative during the National Hospital Week (May 10-16).

“This project provides a way for local people to be more grateful to their health workers by providing fresh Panera food and reminding that we appreciate everything they do for our community,” Nelson said.

It was also designed “to help hospitals better by entering food orders for frontline workers,” he said. “We have many relationships with hospitals and have worked to support them because they use their own resources and personal donations to feed their frontline employees. We quickly realized that some of the friction in providing food to employees could be resolved through our online ordering technology and knowledge of these locations. We currently work with 600 participating hospitals nationwide. “

Those who want to contribute to Food for Heroes to be given back to health workers can visit PaneraBread.com/MealsForHeroes.