September
13th 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 10th 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
tivenank@chop.edu
WAWA CONTACT:
Lori
Bruce, Manager, Public Relations
Lori.a.bruce@wawa.com
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SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia