Panera Bread, Second Harvest summer campaign turns lemonade into hunger aid

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Each day in our community, thousands of children go hungry. However, this summer, kids and families can help fight child hunger in Jacksonville through a fun, new fundraising campaign.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is teaming with local Panera Bread® bakery-cafes to fight child hunger in Jacksonville with their new Lemonade for Hunger Aid campaign.  The campaign begins Monday as Panera Bread presents Second Harvest with a $27,000 donation and an innovative community challenge that could raise thousands more to feed disadvantaged children in our community.

The kickoff event will feature the first of what organizers hope will be many Lemonade for Hunger Aid benefit lemonade stands throughout area neighborhoods this summer. A new website, www.Lemonade4HungerAid.com, explains how Panera Bread will match proceeds (up to $5,000) from the neighborhood lemonade stands to help Second Harvest fight hunger.As part of the campaign, Panera Bread has also pledged to donate $1 for each of its new frozen lemonade treats sold in their 12 Jacksonville area locations this summer. Proceeds will benefit Second Harvest’s Kids Cafe Summer Feeding Program, which serves more than 10,000 meals per week while children are out of school.

“Nearly half of all Jacksonville children rely on free or reduced lunch during the school year,” said Thomas Mantz, executive director of Second Harvest.  “Even mild malnutrition can have a negative impact on a child’s development, and our Kids Cafe Summer Feeding Program helps keep children healthy and nourished through the summer months.”

The kickoff event was held on Monday, June 8, at the Girls Inc. summer feeding site, which is supported by the Second Harvest Food Bank.