Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Panda Cares Foundation Expand Educational Access in Florida with Two New Centers of Hope
Press Release
Hollywood, Fla. (October 12, 2026) – Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and the Panda Cares Foundation today announced the expansion of Panda Cares Centers of Hope across Florida, with two new locations opening in 2026. These additions bring the total number of Centers in the “The Sunshine State” to nine.
Since 2020, Panda Cares has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to Boys & Girls Clubs across Florida, reaching more than 10,000 young people. Centers of Hope are designed to extend academic support for students outside the classroom, providing high-yield learning and enrichment, character building exercises, strategies to make learning fun and access to post-secondary opportunities. The following Clubs in Florida have opened Centers of Hope:
- Hollywood – Marti Huizenga Club – Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (October 26, 2026)
- Orlando – Walt Disney World Clubhouse – Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (2026)
- Miami – S.W. Langer/Kendall Unit – Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade (2025)
- Jacksonville – Victory Pointe Boys & Girls Club – Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida (2025)
- Pompano Beach – William E. Slaughter, Jr. Unit – Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (2024)
- Riverview – Riverview Boys & Girls Club – Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay (2024)
- Orlando – Universal Orlando Club – Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (2023)
- Deland – Lacey Family Spring Hill BGC – Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties (2022)
- Kissimmee – Tupperware Brands Branch – Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (2022)
When a Boys & Girls Club is selected for a Panda Cares Center of Hope, they receive a $45,000 grant to support a full room refresh, along with new programs and designed to create the strongest possible learning environment for local youth. Every new Center of Hope is celebrated with a community grand-opening event, complete with a ribbon-cutting, Panda Express feast, community activities and giveaways. Since 2020, Panda Cares has invested more than $75.5 million in Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide, funding 209 Centers of Hope, 2,935 Project Learn grants and 607 scholarships, while impacting more than 1.7 million young people.
“Providing tools for academic success is a critical way Boys & Girls Clubs support youth in reaching their full potential,” said Dr. Jennifer Bateman, senior vice president of youth development for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Each Center of Hope creates opportunities for our young people to embrace education, with a model that supports strong academic outcomes and brings joy to learning.”
Every Center of Hope is equipped with Project Learn, an evidence-informed strategy that delivers homework assistance and high-yield learning activities, building confidence and an enjoyment of learning. Florida Boys & Girls Clubs received over 100 Project Learn grants between 2020 and 2025, with 2026 applications currently in progress.
“Having access to Project Learn and my Club’s Panda Cares Center of Hope has given me an incredible advantage in my academic journey,” said Jaynise, a Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida member. “My Center of Hope gave me the support and resources I needed to stay on track in school and reach my full potential. As a recipient of a Panda Cares scholarship, I’m now attending Rollins College, and I’m thrilled to know these critical resources will be available to even more Club members across Florida. Spaces like this help young people dream bigger, reach their goals and become the future leaders of tomorrow.”
The expansion comes as Floridians continue navigating the effects of pandemic-era learning loss. While chronic absenteeism dropped to 29% last year, rates remain nine points above pre-pandemic levels. Reading proficiency paints a bleaker picture, with the average student performing a half-grade below 2022 levels. Centers of Hope help address these challenges, and recent data shows 86% of Club youth are on track to graduate on time.
To learn more about the partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Panda Cares, visit https://www.bgca.org/about-us/our-partners/panda-cares/.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Nearly 5,500 Clubs serve more than 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Panda Express® / Panda Cares®
On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express® is the largest Asian dining concept in the US. Family-owned and operated since 1983 by Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Panda Express is best known as a trailblazer for creating a wide variety of industry-first recipes, including its best seller the Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp, which have defined the category of authentic American Chinese cuisine. Each dish at Panda Express is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by bold Chinese flavors and culinary principles. The restaurant brand has more than 2,500 locations and has introduced American Chinese cuisine to 11 international countries.
Powered by a global family of associates, Panda Cares®, Panda’s philanthropic arm, has raised more than $455 million and has dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 16 million youth, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. In 2021, Panda Express established the Panda CommUnity Fund — a five-year, $10 million community investment and response program that supports immediate and sustainable solutions from national and local organizations to uplift diverse groups, including people of color and other marginalized communities. For more information about Panda, visit pandaexpress.com, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.
