ORLANDO, Fla.—Wawa has given a $1 million grant to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Second Harvest aims to increase the amount of fresh produce sent home with kids who are experiencing food insecurity.
The goal of Wawa and Second Harvest’s Fly Beyond pilot program is to reach more than 53,000 households over a 12-month period through two of the food bank’s childhood hunger prevention initiatives: the School Partnerships and Summer Food Service programs.
“Through this first-of-its-kind investment, Wawa is ensuring children in Central Florida have access to the nutritious, wholesome food they need to thrive,” said Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO of Second Harvest. “Inflation is causing more families to make difficult decisions about what they can afford, and this partnership can help lessen worries about food costs.”
Throughout the year, Wawa’s culinary team will create recipes that feature many of the food items being distributed. Those recipes can be found online at the Fly Beyond landing page. Wawa and Second Harvest intend to use the Fly Beyond pilot program and results as a road map for collaborations with other food banks or for others to implement similar programs.
“Fueling up takes on a whole new meaning with Fly Beyond. We hope this new pilot program inspires goodness by making fresh, healthy foods conveniently available to families to create nutritious meals at home without worrying about how to afford it. Having greater access to fresh produce will improve the ability of kids in our communities to learn, lead and succeed,” said Robert Yeatts, senior director of Florida operations, Wawa.
The Wawa Foundation recently donated $6.15 million to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to expand the hospital’s Wawa Volunteer Services program.
The gift will establish a Wawa Coffee and Care Cart, currently operating on CHOP’s Philadelphia campus, at CHOP’s second inpatient hospital, the Middleman Family Pavilion in King of Prussia, in July 2023. The gift will also enable the purchase and upgrade of coffeemakers, single-serve brewing systems, pods and other accessories to provide a warm drink to employees, patient families and visitors. Additionally, the gift will 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.