One year after COVID-19 forced schools to shut down, Wawa and The Fund for the Philadelphia School District gathered outside Northeast High School to donate more than 3,000 appreciation kits to employees of the school district.
The March 12 event recognized the more than 4,000 essential district employees who remained on site to continue providing food and support for families in need, such as those who helped families receive Chromebooks for virtual learning.
“While we have collectively experienced a lot of loss over the last year, we have so much to be grateful for,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, president and CEO of The Fund.
Wawa donated the first 3,000 kits, which contain Wawa gift cards, coupons and boxed lunches. The Fund, a nonprofit that serves as a bridge between investing partners and the district, purchased an additional 1,335 kits for bus drivers, IT professionals, building engineers and other essential employees.
Superintendent William Hite Jr. commended the Food Services Team for coordinating meal pickup sites across the city, which distributed more than 8 million meals since last March.
“You all may think you’re just doing your job, but your job has meant so much to the children of the city and the families that we serve,” Hite said.
