Covelli Enterprises’ support for military and veterans reaches $1.4 million mark
HILTON HEAD, S.C., Nov. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Panera Bread’s largest franchisee Covelli Enterprises will salute those in uniform with free meals on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veterans Day at its Panera Bread locations in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The company has made it an annual tradition to honor all veterans and military service members with free You Pick Two® meals at its participating bakery-cafés and has exceeded $1.4 million in food and monetary donations since 2011.
Free meals for veterans and service members began in the Covelli-owned Panera Bread cafes in 2011, and since then the company has given away nearly 130,000 free meals to service men and women and veterans. To participate, service members and veterans need only wear their uniform or show their valid Military I.D. or discharge papers at participating Panera Bread locations.
“Not a day goes by that we don’t remember those who have fought to give us the freedoms we enjoy as Americans,” said Sam Covelli, Owner/Operator of Covelli Enterprises. “This is simply a small gesture of gratitude to those men and women who have sacrificed so much for those freedoms, and from the bottom of our hearts, we thank all veterans and service members for their dedication to our country.”
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) will benefit during the month of November from the company’s Change Roll Up Program and cash canisters at the registers, which allows customers to round their total to the next dollar and donate to local charities.
Covelli Enterprises’ support for veterans groups is not limited to food donations on Veterans Day. The organization supports organizations like Project Welcome Home Troops, American Red Cross, National Air Force Museum & Marathon, Veterans Affairs Hospitals, DAV, U.S. Marine Corp Foundation Toys for Tots, Wags 4 Warriors, Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism, Wounded Warrior Support Foundation, Wounded Warriors of South Florida, Mission United, United Military Care, and various VFW Posts in the form of monetary and product donations throughout the year.
About DAV
DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; providing employment resources to veterans and their families and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a non-profit organization with more than 1 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at www.dav.org.
The complimentary You Pick Two® meal will be honored all day on Monday, November 12, the day after Veterans Day, and includes a combination of any two half portions soup, salad, sandwiches, flatbreads, or mac and cheese.
About Covelli Enterprises
Covelli Enterprises operates more than 315 Panera Bread bakery-cafés in eight states. Headquartered in Warren, Ohio, Covelli Enterprises is the single largest franchisee of Panera Bread, LLC. In 2017, Covelli Enterprises donated more than $32 million to hunger relief agencies and non-profit organizations. www.covelli.com
Contact: Jackie Reau
Game Day Communications
(513) 929-4263 | jreau@gamedaypr.com