After receiving nearly 14,000 votes, convenience store Wawa and the Wawa Foundation presented its 2021 Hero Award to the The Veterans Group during July Fourth festivities in Philadelphia. The Veterans Group also receives a $50,000 grant to continue its important programming to Pennsylvania veterans.

The awards ceremony took place during the annual Independence Day Wawa Welcome America! celebration in the city where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

The Wawa Foundation Hero Award honors a nonprofit organization that is committed to serving the greater Philadelphia area by assisting others and building stronger communities through preserving our independence, protecting our safety, and mentoring and inspiring our youth.

The three runners-up – ABC Men, Garces Foundation and Philadelphia Police Athletic League – were also recognized at the ceremony Each will receive a $10,000 grant.

The Wawa Foundation commends all four organizations for their commitment to serving our communities and especially thanks them for sharing their inspiring stories with the community.

To read the finalists’ stories and learn more about the work they’re doing to improve their communities and empower the citizens who live in them, visit the Wawa Foundation website at www.thewawafoundation.org.