LOS ANGELES—Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (PRGI) donated $645,000 for the Philippine typhoon victims during a press conference on Wednesday, December 11, at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
Monetary fund matched 100 percent of donations, with $322,000 coming from the company and the other $322,000 collected from in-store donations by customers and employees from all Panda Express, Panda Inn and Hibachi-San locations.
“We are extremely saddened by the aftermath of this disaster,” said Peggy Cherng, Panda Restaurant Group CEO & Co-chairman.
“As giving is one of Panda’s core values, we are honored to support the relief efforts and assist the American Red Cross and the Tzu Chi Foundation in rebuilding and aiding those that were affected by the typhoon,” Cherng added.
The money will be donated to the American Red Cross and the Tzu Chi Foundation (an international non-profit humanitarian organization).
Meanwhile, Red Cross Club (one of Ramon Cortines School’s organizations) also attended the press conference and presented a $714 donation check.
“As a generation, we want to take initiative and try to make a difference from what we saw the news about the typhoon,” said Trong Kim, president of the Red Cross Club.
“We got this big, yellow envelope and started passing them around to all the advisories. The kids gave us as much as they can,” the high school senior student added.
First elected Filipino-American California State Assemblyman Rob Bonta is also actively involved in ongoing efforts to provide disaster relief to the Philippines.
“We [are raising] $40,000 as our fundraising effort. I’m preparing a letter now, asking the Congress and the President to provide additional federal aid to the Philippines. I’m going there in April 2014 to help in the rebuilding efforts. It’s very inspiring to see charity organizations from different parts of the country helping the typhoon victims. Their resilience of spirit will prevail and recover heal from us,” Bonta said.
Acting Philippine Consul General Marlowe Miranda thanked Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. and Ramon Cortines School for their support to the Philippines.
“We’re really happy to be invited [to] this event and show [our] appreciation to PRG and Ramon Cortines students. Such efforts coming from students are really heart-warming,” Miranda said.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek December 18, 2013 MDWK pg.3)