Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota Receives $20,000 Donation

(KNSI) – The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota has gotten a donation from the Panda Cares Foundation for academic support programming.

The Panda Cares Foundation presented the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota with $20,000. The donation is part of the foundation’s larger partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

The money is going toward the Boys and Girls Club’s academic initiatives to help kids do well in school and help build leadership skills and character. Panda Cares is the philanthropic arm of the Asian fast-casual restaurant chain Panda Express.

“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.”

Mary Swingle, President/CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, says they are appreciative of the incredible support from the Panda Cares Foundation and that the gift “will help us further our mission to provide academic support to youth, especially those who have experiences learning loss, due to the pandemic. This summer, we are providing numerous educational enhancement activities, including Summer Brain Gain, to increase literacy and math skills in our youth through hands-on, minds-on activities that are fun and engaging for youth.”

A press release announcing the gift explains that the national partnership between Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Panda Express will build on the 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.

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