On January 12th the world collectively gasped as we learned of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti.  Like millions of people across the nation, the Wawa family understood that immediate help was needed to provide aid and relief to the victims of the earthquake.

At Wawa we have a long history of being a good neighbor in every community we serve and, in times of terrible tragedy, also in communities where we do not have a presence. So when the earthquake struck Haiti, our associates and our customers mobilized at once to help those who were far beyond our immediate boundaries, but close to our hearts because of the hardship they were enduring.

Within a few days, our associates implemented a chain-wide campaign encouraging customers to add a $1 donation to their purchase to go directly to the American Red Cross International Disaster Relief effort in Haiti.  We were incredibly moved by the swift and generous response from our customers: we raised more than $350,000 in the course of just six days!  From every state and every county and every store, Wawa customers and associates gave from the heart. In addition to the relief funds raised through our in-store campaign, Wawa made a $50,000 donation and fifty of our corporate associates volunteered with the CBS-3 phone bank to take calls, thank viewers for their donations, and answer their questions.

I’m proud of our associates at every level of our company for doing the right thing and for contributing what they can to provide vital support to Haiti’s earthquake victims. It’s a precedent that extends back for several decades during which time Wawa has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide aid for victims of Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and Rita; the Midwestern Floods; the Asian Tsunami; and the September 11 attacks. As with tragedies that have occurred before it, we know that Haiti has a long road to recovery and our work is far from done. Still, we can take small comfort in knowing that the efforts of the extended Wawa family are aiding the rebuilding process.

Chelsea, an Associate from our Lexington Park, MD store best captures the community spirit of this fundraising effort in her recent email: 
"I was looking for ways to donate and help, and [Wawa] gave me the answer mere days after it happened. Wawa's swift, kind-hearted response to this tragedy shows how much we care, not only about our customers, but people all over the world. I'm proud to say I work for this company, and can't wait to see how much we all raised together!"
  

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Boys and Girls of all ages

Welcome to the Winter Holiday Carnival!
Get ready for some fun!

You’ll be able to step right up,

Spin the wheel,
Ring the bell,

Play some games
And win prizes!

Wait until you see what we have in store for you!

Imagine the exhilaration and anticipation of over 185 families who heard this greeting by our Master of Ceremonies as they arrived at our inaugural Operation Brotherly Love Event, held at Urban Outfitters corporate headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

It may have been a cold Saturday morning in January, but it looked and felt much more like a winter wonderland the second you stepped foot into the exciting extravaganza!  Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter joined over 300 dedicated volunteers and deserving families for the inaugural Operation Brotherly Love Event, a carnival for kids supporting Philadelphia-area families in need, and providing 500 children with personalized holiday gifts. 

It’s an event we, at Wawa, will remember for some time as it truly showed why the City of Philadelphia is nicknamed the City of Brotherly Love.  The event included games, food, and family photos, plus every child was guaranteed to feel the warmth of the event long after it ended, as they all left with a brand new winter coat, hat, gloves and a brand new toy.  The goal was to spread holiday joy (the event was originally scheduled for Dec. 19, but postponed due to the blizzard) to deserving families in Philadelphia and to provide volunteers with the opportunity to be part of something that truly brightened the days of so many children in our region.  And while it all actually started a few weeks earlier with 100 volunteers customizing and wrapping each individual gift, it wasn’t just a quick event where children were handed a gift.  Instead it was an event that gave volunteers the chance to interact with the families, sharing personal stories of hope and triumph, highlighted by the joy on the faces of the children as they went through the carnival, played games and received their gifts.  Volunteers were encouraged to bring their own families and children to experience the event together and further instill the importance of sharing joy.  As one volunteer said, “I want my children to always realize the importance of caring about others and the big impact a small amount of their time can have.” 

The mission was aptly named Operation Brother Love as it was a day that brought together City leaders, families, corporations and individuals to give hundreds of children the holiday they deserved and to show them that somebody truly cares about them.   It also reminds us of the importance of connecting with each other and helping others to do the same.

The idea for Operation Brotherly Love came about ten years ago when a small group of friends (led by Wawa’s own Adam Schall, Director of Planning and Analysis) sought a way to provide those in need with more than just monetary support. They wanted a deeper level of interaction with the community.  After years of smaller scale community events, this year the group partnered with Wawa, URBN, Cradles to Crayons, the Mayor’s Office of Community Services, additional business partners, and more than 300 individual volunteers to host the largest holiday party in the history of the foundation.  From individuals to corporations to government officials, all share a common mission: to connect with families and children in need, and create a happy holiday season for all. 

As Adam said to each and every volunteer before they greeted and hosted their family, “Today is as much about you getting something from this experience as it is about the children and families having fun.  We want you to feel the joy of helping others and connecting with people from our own backyard who need our help.  It is our hope that this warms hearts and inspires people to continue helping each other and spreading joy.”

I am so proud of Adam and the almost 100 Wawa Associates who volunteered, sponsored families and gave from their hearts to make this event possible.  They exemplify not only the moniker Brotherly Love – but they live the Wawa values of doing the right thing and valuing people. And right now, they are thinking about ways to make the event even more special for the families and volunteers next year.

On a cold, January Saturday, the city truly lived up to its name and Operation Brotherly Love warmed the hearts of its participants and volunteers. 

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