PHILADELPHIA, USA – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) unveiled the newest Wawa Coffee and Care Cart, operating at the Middleman Family Pavilion in King of Prussia. The cart, full of free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and a variety of cold Wawa beverages for patients, their families and employees, will round through the hospital as well as at CHOP’s Specialty Care and Urgent Care centers on the King of Prussia campus.
Earlier this year, CHOP announced a $6.15 million commitment from The Wawa Foundation to bring the cart to the King of Prussia campus and expand the Wawa Volunteer Services program.
“Over the past 30 years, more than 2 million cups of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, juices and other beverages have been served from Wawa Coffee and Care Carts at CHOP, and thousands of Wawa volunteers have offered support to our patients and families,” said Madeline Bell, President and CEO of CHOP. “We are grateful to Wawa for their longstanding support of our volunteer program and for helping to ensure that our patients, families and staff have an exceptional experience at CHOP.”
“Through our Wawa Volunteer Services program, we open our doors for community members to contribute meaningfully to the CHOP mission as a part of their lives,” said Matthew Bennett, Senior Director of Patient and Family Services at CHOP. “Volunteers staffing the cart offer warm beverages or cold Wawa refreshments to patients and their families during their time in the hospital. Thanks to The Wawa Foundation, we can now bring a little bit of comfort to the patients and families we serve on our King of Prussia campus. Not only has this funding assisted in providing reprieve and support, but it has also allowed us to expand the volunteer opportunities we have available for employees and partners.”
The unveiling event included the cart’s inaugural trip through the Middleman Family Pavilion, remarks from CHOP and Wawa leadership and personal stories from those who have been impacted by volunteerism.
“Our partnership with CHOP dates back to the hospital’s origins when Dr. George B. Wood, one of Wawa’s founding family members, was listed in the 1856 annual report,” said Chris Gheysens, CEO, Wawa. “I am proud that The Wawa Foundation and our associates continue to grow our support and be actively involved in volunteering on the Wawa Coffee and Care Cart as it is truly part of our company culture and provides a meaningful experience for everyone involved.”
“We have a strong and long-standing partnership with CHOP, and we are proud to deliver another care cart to the Middleman Family Pavilion to reach and impact even more patients and families,” said Maria Kalogredis, Chair of The Wawa Foundation. “At Wawa, we are committed to building stronger communities. We take pride in being a small part of brightening the days of the patients served on CHOP’s King of Prussia campus.”
“I have been a volunteer for four years and every time I leave a volunteer shift, I feel a sense of gratitude and appreciation,” said Simon Burns, Senior QA, Risk and Safety Analyst, Wawa. “Having your child in the hospital going through a difficult situation is extremely hard. Offering a warm cup of coffee or a cold beverage often brings a smile or a sigh of relief, and I’m so happy to be able to be a part of that moment for patients and their caregivers. The CHOP Wawa Volunteer Services program is fantastic, and it is great to know that it is continuing to grow so that even more people can give back to their community.”
“We were inpatient at CHOP for months with my son, Shawn, before being diagnosed, moving from unit to unit,” said Jennifer Scales, mother of CHOP oncology patient and serves on CHOP’s Family Advisory Council. “There was a lot of uncertainty and fear in our lives but there were a few constants that provided reassurance and consistency – one being the Wawa Coffee and Care Cart. Getting a bottle of Wawa iced tea provided Shawn, and our whole family, a sense of normalcy during a challenging time full of unknowns. The cart was a great source of comfort and kindness during various stints in the hospital we had throughout the years. It provided us warm smiles, friendly faces and hope, and we’re so grateful the cart will now be available at King of Prussia.”
Along with establishing the Wawa Coffee and Care Cart for the Middleman Family Pavilion, the gift from The Wawa Foundation will enable the purchase and upgrade of coffee makers, single serve brewing systems, pods and other accessories to provide a warm drink to employees, patient families and visitors. It will also provide funding for the reception area of a Family Resource Center in the new patient tower on CHOP’s Philadelphia campus, scheduled to open in 2028.
To find out more information visit, www.chop.edu/volunteer or www.thewawafoundation.org.
