All funds donated by the company, its employees and guests will go to the American Red Cross, according to a press release.

The companywide endeavor follows a locally-based effort begun last week under which the Einstein Bros. restaurants in metropolitan Houston began providing food to Salvation Army shelters throughout that area. “We will continue to lend a hand to evacuees served by the Salvation Army’s Houston shelters,” New World CEO Paul Murphy said in the press release.

Starting today, New World restaurants will donate a portion of the sales from every ‘Dozen Bucket of Bagels’ sold through September 19th at all company-owned Einstein Bros. Bagel, Einstein Bros. Cafe and Noah’s New York Bagels locations. The popular buckets include 13 bagels and two flavors of cream cheese. Manhattan Bagel franchisees will provide a portion of the sales from all dozens of bagels sold. In total, the company estimates its donations in cash and food from all brands will exceed $100,000.

Additionally, each participating restaurant has set up a donation station that will be used to collect any cash donations from customers and employees.

“This is a tragedy that in some way has touched all of us,” said Mr. Murphy. “I am incredibly proud of our employees in Houston who immediately provided needed food to the shelters. Our restaurants have always been a big part of the communities in which we live. Due to Katrina, the residents of the Gulf Coast are now part of all our communities.”

New World Restaurant Group is a leading company in the quick casual restaurant industry. The company operates locations primarily under the Einstein Bros. and Noah’s New York Bagels brands and primarily franchises locations under the Manhattan Bagel and Chesapeake Bagel Bakery brands. As of June 28, 2005, the company’s retail system consisted of 440 company-operated locations, as well as 156 franchised locations, and 61 licensed locations in 34 states, plus the District of Columbia. The company also operates a dough production facility.