Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota Gets $25,000 Donation

(KNSI) — The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota has received a $25,000 donation from the Panda Cares Foundation for in-person academic success programming at the Clubs.

According to a press release, since 2020, the Panda Cares Foundation, the charitable arm of Panda Express, has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to foster academic success for America’s youth at Clubhouses across the country, providing more than $13 million in funding as well as in-kind donations of books, meals and more to support the academic wellbeing of Club youth.

“We are so thankful that Panda Express ‘cares’ for our kids!” said Geri Bechtold, Vice President of Operations. “Their support will help us implement daily homework help and tutoring programs for youth at all our sites, which will keep them on track for academic success.”

Bechtold said that Panda Care’s support would also help fund hands-on, fun learning activities that take place daily there, including STEM activities like science experiments, engineering projects, technology-based activities like simple coding and more. That programming includes Project Learn, Power Hour, and Summer Brain Gain.

“Everything we do at the Club is to reinforce the learning that is taking place in school and to expose youth to career opportunities to build their futures,” said Bechtold.

This year’s gift is $5,000 more than in 2021, when the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota received $20,000.

___