Lurie Children’s Celebrates Panda Express this Lunar New Year
Mark your calendars because January 25, 2020 marks the beginning of Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac! In preparation for the celebrations, the team at Lurie Children’s spent the day on the road visiting some of our greatest Panda Express supporters and the fortune we received was spot on – the passion our Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Panda Express teams have for our cause is nothing short of inspiring!
Since 2007, Panda Express has raised more than $85 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and more than $2.6 million to support Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. In 2019 alone, Panda Express raised $1,223,206 to support the patients, families, doctors and nurses at Lurie Children’s! Here are some photos from our top fundraising locations:
Lunar New Year traditionally includes the coming together of family and friends to feast and welcome the new year. A variety of lucky foods are served because of their symbolic meaning surrounding either their Chinese pronunciation or physical appearance—with individual dishes representing specific aspects of good fortune to come in the new year. You can join the celebrations by visiting your local Panda Express restaurant and ordering…
- An egg rolls representing great wealth
- Long chow mein noodles symbolizing a long life
- Or the limited-time Firecracker Shrimp that symbolize happiness
Through February 8, Panda Express is inviting guests to their Celebration of Good Fortune by sharing Lunar New Year traditions with the first-ever augmented reality mobile experience. Share your video and photo with your loved ones for a chance to win a Lunar New Year-themed trip in 2021.
Another tradition of Lunar New Year is the giving of red envelopes, called hong bao in Mandarin, and traditionally, these monetary gifts are given from the older generation to a younger generation. At the heart of this tradition, the act of giving is wishing good fortune and prosperity upon one another. You can receive your very own red envelope on Celebration Day, January 25, at any Panda Express location nationwide—inside you’ll find a coupon for their new Firecracker Shrimp and drink as well as a fun tangram for the kids. You can also make your own red envelope donation to kids treated at Lurie Children’s hospital at the register.
On behalf of everyone at Lurie Children’s we thank everyone at Panda Express for their support and wish them a happy and prosperous Year of the Rat!