(Long Island, NY-September 2, 2011) September is National Hunger Awareness Month and Panera Bread is stepping up its support of Island Harvest, Long Island's largest hunger relief organization, by holding its second annual "Take a Bite out of Hunger" food collection drive. From Monday, September 12 through Friday, September 16, Panera Bread is encouraging donations of non-perishable food items to Island Harvest by providing guests who drop off one or more items before 11AM with a free Grilled Breakfast Sandwich of their choice right on the spot. The offer is valid at all 21 Long Island Panera Bread bakery-cafes from September 12th through the 16th. "Last year, during our 'Take a Bite out of Hunger' campaign, we gave out over 3,000 free breakfast sandwiches and collected over 2200 pounds of food to help support the efforts of Island Harvest in providing critical food support for Long Island's hungry," said Greg George, Vice President of Operations for Long Island Panera. "We help year round by packaging up and donating all the bread, bagels, and pastries that remain on our shelves at the end of the day to Island Harvest. Now, we're inviting our guests to help, too. " "For nearly a decade, Panera Bread has been a valued partner in helping Island Harvest address the critical issue of hunger in our local communities," said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest. "Panera's generosity, along with that of their guests, has helped make a positive impact among the 285,000 Long Island men women and children who know the effects of hunger first hand and for that we are grateful." About Doherty Enterprises, Inc. Doherty Enterprises, Inc. was established in 1985 and is the 12th largest franchisee in the United States, operating five restaurant concepts including: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex, Carino's Italian Grill, and their own concept, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub. To date, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates 96 restaurants in northern and central New Jersey, Long Island, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens. The Doherty vision is to be the "Best Food Service Company in the Tri-State Area" and its mission is to "Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow Our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers." (www.DohertyInc.com) About Panera Bread Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,453 bakery-cafes as of December 28, 2010 under the Panera Bread ®, Saint Louis Bread Co. ®, and Paradise Bakery & Cafe ® names. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need An essential sponsor, Panera Bread's Long Island and Queens locations provide over 2200 pounds of bread each week from its area bakery-cafes to Island Harvest and City Harvest its Operation Dough-nation ® partners. On Long Island, Panera Bread has locations in: Bay Shore, Bohemia, Bridgehampton, Carle Place, East Meadow, East Northport, Farmingdale, Hauppauge, Hampton Bays, Hicksville, Huntington, Lake Grove (coming soon), Lawrence, Massapequa, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Babylon, Port Jefferson, Riverhead, Rockville Centre and West Babylon. Additional information is available on the Company's website, http://www.panerabread.com. About Island Harvest Fighting hunger and touching lives, Island Harvest serves as the bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it, supplying over 570 community-based nonprofit organizations on Long Island with critical food support to help stem the advancing tide of hunger in our communities. Island Harvest has delivered more than 71 million pounds of food, supplementing nearly 54 million meals, since its inception in 1992. In support of its mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, the organization is actively involved in education, outreach, advocacy, job training and hunger awareness programs. Island Harvest is a member of Feeding America. For more information about Island Harvest, visit www.islandharvest.org. Local media contact: Patricia Friia / Castle Rock Communications / 631-338-6993 or Dave Kuhnlein / Doherty Enterprises / 201-818-4669 x1102 Don Miller at HLD Public Relations for Island Harvest/ 516-536-2020