$30,000 Donation from Panda Cares® Foundation Announced by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias to Bring Academic Support Programming to Clubs
For Immediate Release
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias receives investment in academic and education programming for the Gindick-Visalia and Tulare Boys & Girls Clubs through a historic partnership with Panda Cares ® Foundation.
August 17, 2021, Visalia, CA – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias has received a donation of $30,000 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 Sequoias will empower thousands of youth at Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Tulare County 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.”
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.
The Visalia-Gindick and Tulare Boys & Girls Clubs have been matched with their local Panda Express restaurants and are therefore set to receive funds. In honor of this partnership, the Visalia-Gindick Club celebrated Panda Cares Day on August 12th, 2021, which was their Club members' first day of school. That afternoon, team members from Panda Express came out to the Club to distribute over 80 prepared meals. Club members welcomed and thanked their visitors, then sat with their friends to enjoy their chow mein and orange chicken meals. Members also participated in Panda Express-themed activities that day. They created their own Panda masks, learned how to use chopsticks, and then even showed off their skills by competing in a chopstick race! Additionally, the members gathered for story time, during which staff read aloud from the books donated by Panda Cares. At the end of the day, a raffle was held and several winning members each took home a donated book. The Tulare Club will be holding their own Panda Cares day as well—the date is to be determined.
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.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias is focused on helping all young people, especially those who need us most, become responsible, caring and productive members of society. Boys & Girls Clubs were established in Tulare County in the 1990’s when Exeter and Visalia community leaders responded to the need for a positive place for local youth to spend free time after school. Today, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias provides services at 15 clubs throughout Tulare County. Clubs provide a wide span of activities for local youth, varying from STEM to sports. www.bgcsequoias.org
For More Information
Please contact: Carri Chambers | (559) 592-4074 | carri.chambers@bgcsequoias.org