Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley receives investment in academic and education programming for Clubs in Metro Phoenix through a historic partnership with Panda Cares® Foundation.
Phoenix AZ — Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) has received a donation of $300,000 from the Panda Cares® Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Panda Express®, which will support the nonprofit’s mission of enabling and enriching the lives of young people. Through this partnership, Panda Cares and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley will empower thousands of youth at Boys & Girls Clubs around Metro Phoenix to excel in school, character and leadership.
“Panda’s partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America furthers our commitment to impact and inspire a brighter future through health and education, creating powerful learning pathways and focused care for the holistic well-being of youth nationwide,” said Dr. Peggy Cherng, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Panda Express. “This donation brings us one step closer to achieving our long-term vision of building strong communities and fostering the growth of our young leaders.”
“Throughout the pandemic, Panda Express and Panda Cares Foundation have been investing in our youth with delicious meals, books, masks and fun programming. Giving young people books to take home and enjoy with parents and siblings encourages reading and builds on our work helping youth build their literacy skills. We are beyond grateful for Panda’s continued support and active engagement with our Clubs,” said Marcia Mintz, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley.
The national partnership will build on Panda Cares mission to support children and families in underserved communities under the pillars of health and education. With a mutual commitment to helping more youth reach their full academic potential through learning initiatives that are responsive to the unique needs of each young learner, Panda Cares monetary donation to local Boys & Girls Clubs will ensure more than 500 Boys & Girls Clubs will receive funding to provide high-quality in-person and virtual learning opportunities. The donation will also help pilot Panda Cares Centers of Hope, dedicated areas at BGCA that foster equity by delivering high-quality Club experiences that fuel the holistic needs of learning.
About Panda Express
On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express® is the largest Asian dining concept in the U.S. Family-owned and operated since 1983 by co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Panda Express is best known as a trailblazer for creating a wide variety of industry-first recipes, including its best seller the Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp™, which have defined the category of authentic American Chinese cuisine. Each dish at Panda Express, including the Wok Smart® selections, is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by bold Chinese flavors and culinary principles. The restaurant brand has more than 2,200 locations and has introduced American Chinese cuisine to twelve international countries.
Powered by this global family of associates, Panda Cares®, the philanthropic arm of Panda Express, has raised more than $237 million and dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 12 million youths, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. In 2020, the organization established the Panda Cares Scholars Program to provide the necessary funding, academic support and leadership development to help high school and college students learn, lead and thrive towards a bright future. For more information, visit pandaexpress.com or pandacares.org.
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