A Monumental Milestone in Pediatric Care: Panda Express and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Reach $200 Million in Giving
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Panda Express, the largest family-owned and operated Asian dining concept in America, and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) are proud to announce a monumental achievement: crossing the $200 million fundraising milestone in their partnership. This significant sum, raised primarily through the generosity of Panda Express guests and associates in-store, directly supports programs and services at CMN Hospitals member children's hospitals across the U.S., positively impacting the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of young patients and their families.
At the heart of this transformative partnership are the Panda Cares Centers of Hope, dedicated spaces within children's hospitals designed to provide a holistic environment for healing. These centers offer a crucial reprieve from the traditional hospital setting. Ranging from vibrant playrooms and engaging playgrounds to critical spaces housing therapies like art, pet, and music, and unique areas such as outdoor gardens, chapels, and libraries, these Centers of Hope are carefully curated to foster courage, strength, and joy for children and their families during challenging times.
"We are immensely proud of the impact we've made together with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and this $200 million milestone is a testament to the incredible compassion and commitment of our Panda Express guests and associates," said Peggy Cherng, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Panda Express. "Every donation, large or small, has directly contributed to creating spaces of hope and healing, allowing children to focus on being kids."
Beyond this incredible financial milestone, the partnership's tangible impact is evident in the expanding network of Panda Cares Centers of Hope. These unique centers join 72 existing locations that provide vital resources and comfort to children and their families in their local communities. Additional openings are slated throughout the year in locations such as Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia, SC, Duke Children’s in Durham, NC, St. Luke's Children's in Boise, ID, and UMC Children's Hospital in Lubbock, TX.
"The partnership with Panda Express has profoundly impacted our ability for our member hospitals to provide comprehensive, child-centered care," said Aimee J. Daily, Ph.D., President & CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. "The Panda Cares Centers of Hope embody our shared focus of changing kids' health to change the future by addressing every aspect of a child's needs. We are incredibly grateful for Panda's unwavering dedication and the collective generosity that has made this milestone possible."
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About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals:
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was founded more than 40 years ago with the vision to Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future. We’ve raised over $9 billion for 170 children’s hospitals by empowering and engaging with local communities and businesses – and we’re not done yet. All donations benefit local member hospitals to fund what’s needed most, like critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays, and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services.
Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and your local member children’s hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.
Media Contact:
Christina Vitale
Communications Manager
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
O: 801-214-7400
cvitale@cmnhospitals.org
CMNHospitals.org
About Panda Express®:
Panda Express, the largest Asian dining concept in the US, is a family-owned and operated restaurant brand founded in 1983 by Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng. Driven by a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express is recognized as a trailblazer in American Chinese cuisine. The company has pioneered iconic dishes like The Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp, creating a variety of industry-first recipes. Each dish at Panda Express is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by authentic Chinese flavors and culinary principles. With over 2,500 locations across the country and a presence in 11 international countries, Panda Express continues to share American Chinese cuisine with the world.
Powered by a global family of associates, Panda Cares®, Panda's philanthropic arm, has raised more than $415 million and has dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 15 million youth, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. For more information about Panda, visit pandaexpress.com, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.