Wawa gift supports pediatric research
The Wawa Foundation recently made a $75,000 gift to support the Children’s Health Research Institute at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The CHRI focuses in four main areas – neurosciences; cardiopulmonary, intensive care and emergency medicine; health and healthcare equity; and translational and personalized medicine. Thanks to community support, the fund has awarded more than 30 grants of $10,000 or less and allowed faculty to apply for additional support including $4.5 million from funders like the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense.
“The Wawa Foundation’s expression of faith in our vision is inspiring,” said Dr. Henry Rozycki, vice chair for research, CHRI. “It’s easy for those of us who spend our time searching for ways to improve the health and healthcare of children to see why the Children’s Health Research Institute is important. For individuals and groups like the Wawa Foundation to recognize this as well is very special.”
The CHRI’s goals include increasing external funding awards from $11 million to $31 million and NIH funding from $1.4 million to over $6 million. The fund also aims to increase clinical trials and number of participants by 50%, increase academic papers published by 50% and provide direct grant funding to more than 90 CHoR research projects.
As a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals partner, Wawa has been supporting CHoR since 2003. Fundraising campaigns, including Miracle Balloon sales and countertop donation canisters, have raised more than $210,524 to date. In addition, prior support from the Wawa Foundation includes a $50,000 grant for CHoR’s Heart Center in 2016, a $100,000 grant to fund respiratory therapy services in 2017, and a $100,000 grant to fund a concussion navigator for CHoR’s TBI Center of Excellence in 2018.
In honor of Wawa’s 57th birthday this spring, a portion of Richmond-area coffee sales on April 16 were donated to CHoR. Additionally, to celebrate Wawa’s commitment to building healthier communities and the company’s recent milestone of donating $100 million within the communities it serves, Wawa donated a portion of all Garlic Cheesy Chicken Parm subs sold between April 16-23 during the Wawa Day with The Goldbergs promotion.
Photo – As part of its recent Wawa Day with The Goldbergs promotion, Wawa donated $100,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.