Wawa is hosting its annual Hoagie Day on Thursday, when the convenience-store chain honors military, veterans, fire and police, everyday heroes and The Wawa Foundation’s ongoing partnership with the USO, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families. The retailer also plans to give away 30,000 hoagies chainwide, it said.
- Wawa is No. 9 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by total number of company-owned stores.
The inaugural Hoagie Day was held in 1992, when the hoagie was proclaimed the “Official Sandwich of Philadelphia” by then-Mayor Ed Rendell. Since Hoagie Day’s inception, the event has focused on honoring military service members. This year will continue the tradition as Wawa celebrates its ongoing partnership with the USO.
During this year’s Hoagie Day event, The Wawa Foundation will make a formal check presentation of $900,000 from Wawa's in-store customer fundraising campaign to support USO programs. USO Regional President Rebecca Parkes will share acceptance remarks and the effect the support has on the organization’s mission.
During the community event, Wawa will distribute 15,000 free turkey hoagies to the public and donate 10,000 hoagies to Philabundance, the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia and the Veterans Multi-Service Center. In addition, admission to Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center will be free all day, courtesy of Wawa.
Hoagie Day will also feature a doubleheader Hoagies for Heroes competition emceed by Philadelphia radio station WMMR’s Preston and Casey, where the city’s police officers and firefighters will face off in a hoagie-building competition to benefit charities of their choice. Members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and Pennsylvania Air National Guard will then go head-to-head in a competition of their own to benefit the USO. Wawa will make individual contributions of $3,000 to the charities of all four teams.
In addition to the local celebration in Philadelphia, all 1,050 Wawa stores across its operating area will participate in Hoagie Day on June 27 by donating 30 hoagies to everyday heroes serving their local communities for a total donation of 30,000 hoagies chainwide.
“Wawa Welcome America is an incredible series of community events that honor our local heroes as we lead up to our nation’s birthday, and each year, Hoagie Day becomes even more exciting, meaningful and delicious,” said Chris Gheysens, CEO of Wawa. “We look at Hoagie Day as a tradition of giving back and a way to bring the community together to show appreciation to those who serve. We are so grateful to our heroes and want to wish them and everyone in our communities a very happy July 4th!”
Wawa Inc. traces its origins back to 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, Pennsylvania in 1902. The milk business was a success, and as home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 in Pennsylvania as an outlet for dairy products. Wawa stores are now located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C., with approximately 1,050 locations
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