Press Release
Covelli Enterprises, the largest franchisee of Panera Bread, is partnering with MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness through the launch of its ‘Chip in for Children's Mental Health' campaign. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Monday, May 8th through Sunday, May 21st, a portion of proceeds from Panera's famous Chocolate Chipper cookies sold at the 18 Covelli-owned and operated bakery-cafes in South Carolina will go towards funding resiliency programs for schools participating in MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness (BCCW) School-based Initiatives.
“There is a great need for mental and behavioral health services, especially among children and young adults,” said Sam Covelli, Owner & CEO of Covelli Enterprises.” At Covelli Enterprises we see it as our duty to support organizations such as MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness that are at the forefront of addressing this critical need within our local communities.”
Extraordinary stress during the past several years caused such an increase in anxiety and depression that in 2021 national experts declared a state of emergency in children's mental health. In response the MUSC BCCW expanded their School-based Wellness Initiative to go beyond wellness and add coordinated and targeted supports for mental health. In this model the MUSC BCCW works with schools to coordinate existing resources as well as add services to address unmet needs. A specific request from schools is for resiliency programming that provides tools and techniques to help students and staff cope with stress, navigate the ups and downs of daily life, and prevent mental health problems. Panera's Chip In campaign will support additional resiliency programs requested by schools.
Dr. Janice Key, the Director of Boeing Center for Children's Wellness says “We believe that prevention and treatment of any condition, including mental health, should not exist in isolation. Rather the framework of prevention and treatment should be built upon a foundation of wellness including all three pillars: nutrition, physical activity, and social emotional wellness. It is just as important to maintain your mental health as it is to maintain your physical health.”
Chocolate Chipper cookies can be purchased online at www.panerabread.com or on the Panera app for Rapid Pick-Up, Delivery, and Catering. The Panera Chocolate Chipper, a traditional favorite, is sold in all Covelli-owned and operated Panera Bread cafés. The cookie is made with semi-sweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate flakes and is made completely free of any artificial flavors, additives, or preservatives.
