Delivering Goodness: The APL Days of Summer

Delivering Goodness: The APL Days of Summer

I am a man who has been blessed with a loving family, a great business, fantastic customers, wonderful colleagues and amazing pets who have  touched my heart.

Yes, I am an animal lover.

And so is my whole family. For years, my wife, Caryn, has donated countless hours to helping animals in need. And, as a company, we’ve found many ways to help our four-legged friends.

I am especially proud of “APL Days of Summer Delivered by Panera Bread,” an initiative we held this past summer with the Cleveland Animal Protective League, Cleveland APL.

As part of our efforts to increase awareness for our new Panera delivery service in Northeast Ohio, we decided to partner with the Cleveland APL. 

We contributed $1 to the Cleveland APL for every delivery order completed  between July 1 and July 21. I am happy to say that our delivery service was spectacularly popular and we raised more than  $9,000 for the Cleveland APL  from that delivery promotion.  

But we didn’t stop there. Through our Operation Dough-Nation collection canisters, we raised additional funds in July and August. We presented a check to the Cleveland APL  for $24,588 during the organization’s September Telethon.

I am proud of that check, the vision, and caring that my colleagues and our customers displayed. And I am equally proud of our Panera team members who have been volunteering with the Cleveland APL.  

The Cleveland APL leadership explained to us how our partnership has helped the organization make a difference for more than 14,000 animals they serve each year. The APL rescues animals from abuse and neglect; helps good pet owners who are down on their luck; and finds thousands of animals the loving families they deserve.

It is absolutely wonderful to know that our success with our Panera Bread restaurants is helping worthy organizations like the Cleveland APL to continue to do great and important work.

Speaking for my entire family and all of my colleagues, including those with four legs, I want to thank everyone for supporting the Cleveland APL and Panera Bread in what was a gratifying and important initiative.