In Celebration of National Volunteer Month, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and The Wawa Foundation Announce Inaugural Helping Hands Community Care Challenge

September 13^th event will bring together companies across the region for a high-energy, high-impact day of community service benefiting CHOP patients and families

PHILADELPHIA, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate April as National Volunteer Month, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and The Wawa Foundation, commemorating its 10^th anniversary this year, have come together to announce the inaugural Helping Hands Community Care Challenge taking place on Friday, September 13. The day-long event will bring together hundreds of representatives from local companies who will participate in various volunteer programs benefiting patients and families at CHOP.

CHOP and Wawa's long-standing relationship dates back to 1855, and both organizations share a commitment to compassionate care for children, an emphasis on serving the entire family and a belief that volunteerism can change communities. The purpose of the September event is to bring together the corporate community for a day of shared impact, as it takes a team to heal a child – and volunteers are an essential part of that team.

Throughout the day, participants will gather resources for a diverse set of programs at CHOP. Additionally, the well-known and beloved Wawa Coffee and Care Cart will be on-site serving attendees, sharing a marquee example of a volunteer activity at CHOP. People will also have the chance to register for a future volunteer opportunity. Specific Helping Hands Community Care Challenge efforts include:

• Assembling activity kits to bring joy to our inpatient children:
  • Volunteers will create kits to support the critical mission of the Department of Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy. Through this department, CHOP provides evidence-based, developmentally and psychologically appropriate interventions including therapeutic play, preparation for procedures, and education that reduces fear, anxiety and pain for children and families.
• Packing bags filled with school supplies for patients:
  • Volunteers will box school supply kits to support CHOP's Hospital School Program. Through this program, CHOP provides patients with educational supports to maintain and advance their academic progress during hospital stays. These educational interventions not only ensure that no patient is left behind, but also forge a connection to a patient's life beyond hospitalization, creating normalcy and reducing stress.
• Gathering hygiene kits for teens in CHOP's Care Network and Homeless Health Initiative:
  • Volunteers will help assemble hygiene kits that will be distributed to patients and families across the CHOP Primary Care Network. Government benefits such as SNAP and WIC do not cover the cost of these necessary supplies, so to meet this unmet need for adolescent patients, CHOP assesses period poverty among patient families. These menstrual product kits will also be distributed among youth experiencing housing instability within CHOP's Homeless Health Initiative shelters.

"Whether developing activity kits for children who are too sick to leave their bedsides, greeting visitors, or helping families find their way through our halls, the volunteers at CHOP make a life-changing difference," said Matthew Bennett, Assistant Vice President of Patient and Family Services and Experience at CHOP. "Our volunteers provide a special connection that often eases the stress for patients and families going through difficult times. Through the Helping Hands initiative, our hope is every activity will bring kindness, comfort and resources to those we serve and those who need it most within our communities."

Funds raised through Helping Hands support Wawa Volunteer Services at CHOP, empowering the expansion and elevation of the volunteer program, engaging more community members and creating a ripple effect of kindness. Beyond the mere act of giving time, volunteering helps uplift lives and forge connections that bridge gaps.

"We are thrilled to partner with CHOP to present the Helping Hands Community Care Challenge," said Maria Kalogredis, Chair of The Wawa Foundation. "Our associates are deeply committed to elevating and amplifying acts of service and kindness to have a meaningful impact on the lives of members of the communities we serve. From delivering coffee and beverages to patients and families at CHOP to the small, but day-brightening, moments that take place thousands of times a day in our Wawa stores, we are grateful for the chance to share the incredible impact that kindness, service and volunteering can have on everyone involved."

To learn more about this inaugural event and how it will impact the community, go to helpinghands.chop.edu.

To find out more information, visit www.chop.edu/volunteer or www.thewawafoundation.org.

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu.

About The Wawa Foundation
The Wawa Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Wawa, Inc. to support the company's charitable giving and philanthropic activities, and ultimately to help build stronger communities. The Wawa Foundation focuses its support on organizations committed to health, hunger and everyday heroes through local, state and national grants and/or in-store fundraising, such as donation boxes and point-of-purchase scan materials. Since its inception in 2014, Wawa and The Wawa Foundation have contributed more than $160 million to non-profits serving our communities in the focus areas of health, hunger and everyday heroes. 

About Wawa's Commitment to Fulfilling Lives
At Wawa we believe we all have a role in making the world a better place by not only by filling customer orders – but by fulfilling the lives that we touch everyday. Because happy, fulfilled and connected people, make happier and stronger communities. Beginning with our first store, Wawa has worked its way into the hearts, minds and fabric of people's lives. Wawa does it around the clock. In 3 and ½ minute doses, every day 24/7, 365 days a year. Wawa is so committed to this concept, it has made fulfilling customers' lives its ultimate purpose and goal – every day.

PR CONTACT:
Kaitlyn Tivenan
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
M: 610-618-0542
[email protected]

WAWA CONTACT:
Lori Bruce, Manager, Public Relations
[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia