Philadelphia honored our nation on the Fourth of July with the Celebration of Freedom that was presented by NBC10 and Wawa Welcome America.
Wawa honored nonprofit organizations serving the Philadelphia community with its 2024 Wawa Foundation Hero Award.
As I Plant This Seed, Leveling the Playing Field, Philadelphia Fire/EMS Explorer Career Youth Development Program and Project 440 were named the 2024 finalists.
"What does it mean to be a hero to our communities? The Wawa Foundation Hero Award honors a non-profit organization, and its volunteers, serving Philadelphia by providing services that build stronger communities through preserving our independence, protecting our safety and mentoring and inspiring our youth," the Wawa Foundation said on its website.
The award comes with a $50,000 grant for the winning organization and $10,000 to each of the other three finalists.
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The winner was announced during the Wawa Welcome America Celebration of Freedom Ceremony at Independence Hall in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood on July 4th.
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Which nonprofit won the 2024 Wawa Foundation Hero Award?
The Philadelphia Fire/EMS Explorer Career Youth Development Program took home the 2024 Wawa Foundation Hero Award on July 4th. The group took home a nifty plaque and the $50,000 grant.
Congrats to the @pfdexplorer1873, this year’s recipient of The Wawa Foundation Hero Award and $50,000 to build stronger communities! Thank you to our runners-up @LPFsports, @P440, and As I Plant This Seed! pic.twitter.com/oyaIRvo2Fb
— Wawa (@Wawa) July 4, 2024
Here are the stories (according to Wawa) of each "Hero" nonprofit:
As I Plant This Seed
As I Plant This Seed promotes the positive development and advancement of urban youth through intergenerational access to education, information, and training in a safe space. Following completed enhancements to the space earlier in 2024, the organization continues to grow its 12-year history of giving local teens programs designed to help each kid reach their full potential. The organization’s vision is to provide the Hunting Park community, its youth and families with the resources and skills necessary to change their outlook on life and equip and empower them to ultimately decide their own outcomes.
Leveling the Playing Field – Philadelphia
Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) provides free sports equipment to schools, rec centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, and other youth programs in the Philadelphia area. In 2023, LFP distributed nearly $1M in gear to 262 under-resourced schools and youth programs, enabling thousands of kids to learn, grow, and have fun through physical recreation. The new equipment has encouraged their active participation in various sports and has also provided them with an avenue for positive engagement and personal growth. LFP knows sports have a tremendous impact on kids mental and physical health, social-emotional development, school performance, and more. Entering their 3rd year of being a good teammate to our community, FLP equips our kids to play the sports they love.
Philadelphia Fire/EMS Explorer Career Youth Development Program
The PFD Fire/EMS Explorer program serves over 100 young adults from all socioeconomic backgrounds across the city who have experienced firsthand response efforts to various emergency operations. Over 400 program alumni explorers have been enabled with general knowledge of emergency response operations, fire science/suppression, first aid and C.P.R., mass casualty, stop the bleed, and trauma response. The program’s vision is to help bridge the communication gap of delivering public safety messages of prevention and preparedness. Explorers relate to the ever-changing environments challenging our communities, and become the agents capable of building stronger ones.
Project 440
Project 440 provides free after-school music-based programs for Philadelphia high school students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, gain proficiencies in leadership and service, and learn about opportunities for their next steps. Project 440 makes challenging and inspiring music programming accessible for youth to collaborate and be creative with each other as part of their efforts to serve our community and remove barriers to arts participation. Project 440 holds the perfect pitch for students who are just beginning to find their way.
Past winners include Students Run Philly Style (2023), Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School (2022), the Veterans Group (2021), Broad Street Ministry (2020), Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports (2019), Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia (2018), Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey (2017) and SPIN (2016).
