Panera Bread at College Park donates $4k to St. Luke’s

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Sharing the dough for a good cause, the newly-opened Panera Bread in The Woodlands at 3113 College Park Drive recently donated $4,150 through its Operation Dough-nation program to St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital’s Good Shepherd Fund.

The money was raised through Panera Bread’s Operation Dough-nation Grand Opening Fundraiser from Dec. 12-16, 2011.

Founded by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, the St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital’s Good Shepherd Fund was created to provide modest support for patients and family members in need, to help allow hospital patients to focus on healing. Donations from the Good Shepherd Fund can help patients fill in the gaps that medical insurance cannot cover, often times filling very basic needs for patients and their families such as meals, lodging, child care, and medical equipment not covered by insurance.

“We chose to donate to St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital during ourgrand opening not only because they are so established as a caring organization that gives back to the local community, but also due to the wonderful service that their Good Shepherd Fund provides to those who are need at a difficult time,” said Panera owners, Andria and Chuck Cain. The second Panera Bread location in The Woodlands has been well received, they said, and will continue to collect donations in support of the Good Shepherd Fund through counter tip jars.

“We are grateful for this extremely generous donation to our Good Shepherd Fund by Panera Bread College Park, which will allow us to offer additional support to hospital patients and their families when in need,” said Debbie Sukin, CEO of St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital. “As we near our 9th anniversary of providing Faithful, Loving Care in The Woodlands community, gifts like these are especially meaningful and affirming.”