Since 2004, Wegmans stores have been a fixture in the DMV region as our employees have built lasting relationships with community organizations to make a difference in their local neighborhoods. As we prepared to open our first location in Washington, D.C., on July 13, we sought to create new partnerships to introduce ourselves in the District, while also recommitting to some of our pre-established connections so they can continue their important work. In the last year, our Wisconsin Ave. store has committed over $350,000 to the local community through donations and event sponsorships in the District.

“For years, we’ve dreamed of opening a store in Washington, D.C., so we were thrilled to officially welcome our neighbors into the store this month,” said Wisconsin Ave. Store Manager Kevin Russell. “We’ve made some great connections with local organizations already, and we look forward to building on those relationships to improve the lives of our customers and employees in every way we can.”

We focus our giving on four key areas where we can make the biggest impact: health, education and youth support, economic mobility, and community collaboration.

Health
We’re committed to improving the physical, emotional, and mental health of our communities by increasing access to wholesome food and resources for living a healthier, better life. In June, we donated $10,000 to Bread for the City, an organization that provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to low-income residents of Washington, D.C. After the store opens, Bread for the City will receive all proceeds from the Wisconsin Ave. store’s annual Check Out Hunger campaign.

Since 2017, we’ve partnered with Food & Friends, a community-based organization that prepares and delivers nutritionally tailored meals to people living with life-challenging illnesses including cancer, HIV/AIDs, and other serious illnesses. Last fall, we provided $25,000 for their annual Thanksgiving Day event, which assembled over 800 Thanksgiving meals to support not only their clients who are suffering from life-challenging illnesses, but also their caretakers and dependents. This April, we formed a multi-year, $100,000 sponsorship with Food & Friends to continue as the premiere sponsor for their annual Thanksgiving event through 2025. In addition, our employees have volunteered at the facility to assist with preparing and packing meals for delivery.

Education and Youth Support
At Wegmans, we believe that education creates opportunity and that supporting our youth is an investment in our future. In June, five graduating seniors from Jackson-Reed High School each received a $1,000 scholarship grant from the Wisconsin Ave. store in a symbolic nod to our Employee Scholarship Program. Since 1984, more than 44,000 Wegmans employees have been awarded scholarships totaling over $135 million through this program.

Girls on the Run (GOTR) teaches life skills through dynamic interactive lessons to girls in third through eighth grade and culminates with a celebratory 5K running event. We’ve partnered with the Northern Virginia council of GOTR for more than 10 years, and this year, we connected with the Girls on the Run DC council to sponsor their spring 5K event, providing a check for $2,000, as well as products for the finish line.

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington serves as a safe haven for children when schools are not open. This year, our Wisconsin Ave. store made a two-year, $20,000 commitment to the organization so they can continue to operate their 16 sites across the region.

Economic Mobility
The best way to promote economic advancement is by helping people obtain the necessary skills to gain employment that leads to meaningful careers and financial independence. DC Central Kitchen is a nonprofit that combats hunger and poverty through job training and creation. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious food where it is most needed. In April, we provided $5,000 for their annual “Capital Food Fight” fundraising event. Once the store opens, DC Central Kitchen will receive daily donations of safe-to-eat and wholesome perishable food from the Wisconsin Ave. store. Additionally, our recruitment team is working directly with the organization to provide possible employment opportunities for their culinary program graduates.

Community Collaboration
We partner with, sponsor, and donate to local non-profit organizations that bring together individuals, families, locals, and visitors through community events. The Wisconsin Ave. team has already contributed to Passport DC, summer movie nights in several neighborhoods, Winterfest, and this year’s upcoming Art All Night festival in Tenleytown.

Our DMV area stores have partnered with Capital Pride Alliance since 2018, donating to and participating in their annual pride parade, festival, and a variety of other events throughout the year. In anticipation of our first store opening in D.C., we made a four-year, $150,000 commitment to Capital Pride Alliance so they can continue to serve the needs of the D.C. metro-area LGBTQ+ communities.

“We believe communities thrive when we all work together, so we make it our mission to be a good neighbor before we even open the doors to our new store,” said Chris Holland, Wegmans Virginia division community relations coordinator and service manager at Wegmans Wisconsin Ave. “We’re committed to listening to, learning from, and supporting Washingtonians from all eight wards of the District.”

Wegmans Wisconsin Ave. is now open! For more information about the new store, visit our website at https://www.wegmans.com/wisconsin-ave/.