How the HeartWorks Food Trailer Is Bringing Awareness, Connection, and Hope to CHD Families
At HeartWorks, our mission has always been rooted in more than science alone. While our work is focused on developing life-changing therapies for congenital heart disease (CHD), we know that progress is also built through community, connection, and the families who continue to move this mission forward every day.
That spirit is at the heart of one of our growing outreach projects: the HeartWorks “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer.
What began as a simple idea has grown into a meaningful way for HeartWorks to show up for families, support community events, raise awareness of CHD, and help fund research that may one day change what is possible for children and adults living with congenital heart disease.
A Simple Idea Rooted in Family, Food, and Purpose
The idea for the HeartWorks food trailer started one afternoon during a conversation among team members brainstorming ways to better support families who host events in honor of heart warriors and loved ones impacted by CHD.
Many of these events had something beautiful in common: they brought people together, created space for remembrance, celebration, awareness, and hope, and often centered around something familiar and comforting: food.
What started as a conversation about BBQ and family-centered events quickly grew into a bigger idea. What if HeartWorks could bring a food trailer to these gatherings? What if we could serve meals, support participants, and stand alongside families as they raised awareness for congenital heart disease?
From that question, the “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer was born.
Showing Up for Heart Warriors and CHD Families
The core goal of the “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer is simple: to show up.
For many families impacted by congenital heart disease, the journey is long, emotional, and deeply personal, often including surgeries, hospital stays, uncertainty, grief, resilience, and hope. At HeartWorks, supporting CHD families means more than advancing research in the lab. It means walking alongside families in the moments that matter most.
Through the food trailer, HeartWorks connects with communities in a personal and practical way. A warm meal brings comfort. A shared table creates connection. A familiar plate of food can turn an event into a gathering place where stories are shared, heart warriors are honored, and families feel supported.
From Humble Beginnings to a Growing Outreach Effort
Like many meaningful projects, the “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer started small. Some of the first events included the Beats 4 Bella Golf Outing in Philadelphia and a neighborhood cheeseburger birthday party for Asher. These early events shaped the heart of the project, reminding the team this was about being present with families, not just serving food.
Since then, the project has grown significantly:
- 26 food events served across 8 states
- 22,662 miles driven to meet families where they are
- 5,940 people fed
Behind every number is a person served, a conversation started, a family supported, and another opportunity to share the HeartWorks mission.
Growing the Mission at Ashley for the Arts
One of the most exciting milestones for the “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer has been participating as a food vendor at Ashley for the Arts, a two-day music festival held each August. This year marks HeartWorks’ third year at the festival.
Last year, the team doubled sales from year one and reached the maximum capacity of the current setup. That growth made one thing clear: a larger trailer was needed. With a new, bigger setup, HeartWorks is preparing to serve more people, support more events, and create more meaningful connections with families, caregivers, donors, and community members who care about the future of CHD treatment.
Join us at Ashley for the Arts on August 7 & 8!
More Than a Meal: Fueling Hope for CHD Research
The “Feed the Cure” Food Trailer is about connection, awareness, and supporting families who tirelessly honor their heart warriors and move CHD research forward.
Every plate served creates an opportunity to share why HeartWorks exists. Every event helps more people learn about CHD and the promise of research focused on repairing and restoring damaged heart tissue. Every mile driven reflects a commitment to meet families in their communities and stand beside them in the shared hope for a cure.
At HeartWorks, we believe progress happens in many places: in research labs, at fundraising events, and sometimes beside a food trailer over a plate of BBQ, mac and cheese, or a cheeseburger.
And if you ask us, we serve up some pretty great food along the way, too.
