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

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.