Chain-Wide Fundraising Effort to Benefit American Red Cross Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief
The Wawa Foundation to Match First $250,000 in Customer Donations
WAWA, Pa., Oct. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wawa, Inc., and The Wawa Foundation Inc., today announced the launch of a chain-wide, in-store crisis campaign designed to provide disaster relief assistance to those communities most affected by Hurricane Ian. The campaign is being held in partnership with the American Red Cross (the “Red Cross”) and allows customers to contribute to Hurricane Ian disaster relief by adding $1, $3, or $5 to their Wawa purchase at checkout. The Wawa Foundation will be matching the first $250,000 in customer contributions to the campaign.
The campaign will run from Tuesday, October 4, to Sunday, October 16, in all of Wawa’s more than 970 stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, DC. All donations made through The Wawa Foundation’s campaign will be donated to the Red Cross and will be designated specifically for Hurricane Ian disaster relief efforts. These funds will be used to help the Red Cross provide immediate and vital support to those communities suffering from the effects of Hurricane Ian.
“All of us at Wawa are committed to helping our Florida friends and neighbors during this time of need. Wawa has been in Florida for 10 years now and, as a member of this community, we are taking a number of steps to help with storm recovery efforts,” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s CEO.
“The Wawa Foundation has always had a strong commitment to providing crisis response and assisting those in need, and we’ve been partnering with the American Red Cross in these kinds of efforts for decades. We are proud to match customer donations up to $250,000 to show our dedication to, and support for, this critical need,” said Jay Culotta, President of The Wawa Foundation.
About Wawa, Inc.
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Forbes.com Ranks Wawa as #23 of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2021 and #12 on Forbes 100 Halo List in 2022.
About The Wawa Foundation Inc.
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.
CONTACT: public.relations@wawa.com
