Wawa Welcome America features Hoagie Day to Salute Everyday Heroes in America’s Birthplace

WAWA, Pa., June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of Wawa Welcome America, Wawa Hoagie Day will feature a celebration that brings together the community for a heartfelt salute to our local and national heroes!

About the Hoagie Day Celebration in Historic Philadelphia

On Thursday, June 26, Wawa is inviting Philadelphians and hoagie lovers from across the region to take part in its great hoagie tradition—Hoagie Day! This year’s event will feature a total of 25,000 hoagies made from seven tons of ingredients along with a celebration dedicated to honoring our military, veterans, fire and police, everyday heroes, and The Wawa Foundation’s ongoing partnership with the USO. During the event, Wawa will distribute 15,000 free turkey hoagies to the public, as well as 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.

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 always focused on honoring our military service members. This year will continue the tradition, as Wawa celebrates its ongoing partnership with the USO, the leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families. During the 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 impact the support has on the organization’s mission.

Hoagie Day will also feature a doubleheader “Hoagies for Heroes” competition emceed by NBC Philadelphia’s Aunyea Lachelle where Philadelphia’s police officers and firefighters will face off in a hoagie-building competition to benefit charities of their choice. Members of the PA Army National Guard and Navy Talent Acquisition Group Philadelphia will then go head-to-head with the PA Air National Guard’s 111th Attack Wing 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.

Chainwide Hoagie Day Donations
In addition to the local celebration in Philadelphia, all 1,130 Wawa stores across its operating area will participate in Hoagie Day by making a donation of 30 hoagies to everyday heroes serving their local communities for a total donation of 33,000+ hoagies chainwide!

“Hoagie Day is a celebration like no other in which we’re able to unite as a community, honor our heroes, and enjoy tens of thousands of delicious Wawa Hoagies!” said Brian Schaller, Wawa President. “Wawa Welcome America is an incredible series of free community events that we’re proud to sponsor in our home city of Philadelphia.”

About Wawa, Inc.
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. 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. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana and Washington, D.C. with over 1,100 locations to date. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, hand-crafted specialty beverages, a dinner menu including burgers and pizza, an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Forbes.com Ranks Wawa as #22 of America’s Largest Private Companies.

Contact: Public.relations@wawa.com

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