Thanks to a generous $25,000 contribution by Panera Bread Company, Girls, Incorporated of St. Louis has been able to purchase 100 laptops for marginalized students who until now had limited technological access to the boundless educational opportunities beyond school walls. 

"Panera's incredible partnership has helped bridge the digital divide that so many of our girls and their families have experienced over the years,” said Cheryl Jones, President & CEO of Girls, Incorporated. “With the ongoing pandemic, virtual learning has become even more imperative for our students' educational and personal development to become college ready and to navigate the challenges they face. Being able to provide laptops for at home learning ensures a safe, flexible environment. We are most fortunate for Panera's leadership at this important time in our girls lives."

“One of the most important things we can do for St. Louis is to increase the level of professional talent in our region.  By enabling girls that are being left behind in a digital divide to be strong, smart, and bold, we believe we can unlock a brighter future for all of St. Louis.   Panera is proud to partner with Girls Inc. as a catalyst for change and narrowing the gap," said John Meister, Chief Information Officer, of Panera LLC.

Jones added that Panera’s contribution will enhance Girls, Incorporated’s number one priority to remain connected to its students and their families to not only support their educational needs; but also, to reduce the impact of social isolation during this difficult period in time.

A recent poll by the Pew Research Center revealed what is likely a more realistic nationally representative picture of homebound student experiences (Pew restricted their survey to families whose children are currently home due to a school closure): roughly one in five parents with homebound school-aged children say it is very likely or somewhat likely their children will not be able complete their schoolwork because they do not have access to a computer at home (21 percent) or must use public wifi to finish their schoolwork because there is not a reliable internet connection at home (22 percent). And about three in ten parents (29 percent) report that it is at least somewhat likely their children will have to do their schoolwork on a cell phone.

Girls Incorporated of St. Louis is a nonprofit agency serving more than 9,000 girls annually - aged six to 18 - to inspire them to become strong, smart and bold. Their trained professionals provide mentorship, intensive educational, college readiness, career, and personal development programming to help girls value their whole selves, discover and develop their inherent strengths and get the support they need to navigate the challenges they face. Their nationally-recognized affiliate as a top performer is one of 78 chapters in the U.S. and Canada.