OCT. 18, 2018—If you’ve eaten at Panera Bread recently, you may recall being asked if you’d like to round your purchase up to the nearest dollar to support Baking Memories 4 Kids. Well, all those rounded up transactions are paying off this week as local kids with life-threatening or terminal illnesses are being awarded all-expense paid vacations to all the theme parks in Orlando, Fla.
The trips are made possible through a partnership that launched April 3, 2017, with Traditional Bakery, Inc./Oklahoma City Bakery, Inc. franchise (TBI/OKC), Panera Bread bakery-cafes. TBI/OKC Franchise President, Brian Camey, presented Frank Squeo with a check for $250,000 this week to support Baking Memories 4 Kids. In turn, the organization awarded local child Preston Smithson and his family with a trip.
Preston Smithson lives with a rare developmental disorder known as Smith-Magenis Syndrome, as well as mild Cerebral Palsy and Celiac Disease. He has had to endure more in his eight years than most of us do in a lifetime. Even after having 17 surgeries, Preston must take daily medication to help him function, and because of his critical allergy to gluten, he also requires the assistance of a service dog. Despite all his challenges, Preston does not let this affect his friendly attitude. Every day he continues to defy the odds.
To continue to support Baking Memories 4 Kids, Panera Bread will donate $1 of every bag of Chocolate Chip Petite Cookies sold this holiday season to the organization.
For nomination information or to nominate a child to receive a Baking Memories trip, please visit http://bakingmemories4kids.com/nominate-a-family/.