Panda Associates Sponsor Holiday Gifts for Local Underserved Youth
ORGANIZATION: Wilkerson School, El Monte, CA
DATE:
Every year, Panda Support Center and Local operations associates
live into Panda’s value of Giving by sharing their time and resources with the
local community. This year, Panda Cares partnered with Wilkerson School in the
underserved El Monte City School District to bring holiday joy and smiles to
over 400 students at our Panda Cares Holiday Celebration. Through the
generosity of our Panda associates, each student received a special holiday
gift and a school spirit sweatshirt.
“I was a former student at Wilkerson
many years ago. I know growing up there weren’t a lot of resources and growing
up in a low-income community there was just a lot of challenges. So, it just
feels good to be able to pay it forward and give back to my community.”- Cindy Painter, Senior Legal Due
Diligence Manager, CFT Developments
Panda associates volunteered to help wrap and distribute gifts at
the event where students were also surprised with a delicious Panda lunch,
take-home books, photos with Mr. & Mrs. Claus and our Panda mascot!
“For our team it makes us feel
like we are part of the community, that we are giving back. The community is
giving back to us as part of our business, and we give back to them. It gives
us a chance to connect, and to connect with the kids as well." - Sharleen
Siaden, Training Leader, Panda Express
The mission of Panda Cares is to bring hope to children in need