Compassion. Connection. Coffee!
Published on
Children's View
Wawa Coffee and Care Cart volunteers know they are offering more than beverages to families at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: They are offering comfort.
“The simple gesture of offering a beverage with a smile makes a world of difference for families,” says Kenneth Luu, Director of Wawa Volunteer Services and Engagement at CHOP.
The Wawa Coffee and Care Cart is part of Wawa’s 165-year legacy of championing CHOP’s steadfast commitment to compassionate care. Across eight generations, the Wood family and Wawa have provided critical support throughout the enterprise and transformed the hospital’s volunteer program. Today, hundreds of CHOP volunteers provide comfort and connection to patients and families navigating stressful circumstances. The Coffee and Care Cart has served families for 20 years, providing approximately 160,000 beverages each year.
The Wawa Foundation’s recent gift of $6.15 million will elevate and expand CHOP’s Wawa Volunteer Services program. This generous commitment will establish a Wawa Coffee and Care Cart at CHOP’s King of Prussia hospital, the Middleman Family Pavilion, and enable the purchase and upgrade of coffee makers, single-serve brewing systems, pods and other accessories to provide comforting, warm drinks to employees, patient families and visitors.
“In addition to making a valuable impact on patient families, having a Wawa Coffee and Care Cart at our King of Prussia Campus will greatly expand the volunteer opportunities available,” says Anna Spraycar, Assistant Vice President of Patient Family Services and Experience at CHOP.
The Wawa Foundation’s gift will also enhance the patient family experience through a Family Resource Center in CHOP’s new patient tower on the Philadelphia Campus, scheduled to open in 2028.
“Wawa’s investment will empower us to deliver a seamless, inclusive, family-centered experience to everyone who enters our doors,” says Luu. “Launching a cart at our Middleman Family Pavilion is a key element in ensuring the finest patient care experience at every step of a family’s healthcare journey.”