In honor of players and coaches who navigated the coronavirus pandemic, and as a way of paying forward the kindness of high school football programs that have supported The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, our nonprofit donated $3,000 to RWJBarnabas Health, presenting sponsor of USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey’s Team of the Year awards.

Sen. Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., who serves on The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s board of trustees, called the nonprofit’s donation, which is being used to support pediatric patients of Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital, “a natural fit with the foundation’s mission of assisting children in need.”

Since its inception just over three years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than $175,000 to assist pediatric patients and underserved children. The nonprofit also has donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, baby supplies, winter coats and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value.

Greg Tufaro, a sports writer for USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey, and his wife Cyndi, a longtime Edison Township Public Schools educator, established The Marisa Tufaro Foundation in loving memory of their beautiful daughter.

Marisa, who would have been a senior this year at Edison High School, died three years ago at the age of 13 following a valiant battle with a long illness.

Marisa was born with a complex cardiac defect that required six open-heart surgeries. Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, she lived a vibrant life that inspired. After her sixth surgery, Marisa developed two life-threatening conditions that necessitated a heart transplant. A postoperative complication developed into a rare form of cancer, known as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), that riddled her brain and body. Marisa succumbed to her illness on Jan. 30, 2017.

Multiple Big Central Football Conference teams have partnered with The Marisa Tufaro Foundation to participate in community service projects benefitting PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital and Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.

Approximately 200 cheerleaders, players and coaches from every football-playing school in Middlesex County and Union County who participated in a summer charity all-star game six months after Marisa’s passing raised money for the nonprofit bearing her name.

Many of the Big Central Football Conference’s teams have donated to The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which has financially supported Child Life programs and other programs at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Cardiology. All are part of RWJBarnabas Health, the largest and most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey.

Marisa was under the loving care for her entire life of Joseph Gaffney, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and division director, pediatric cardiology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Gaffney is also a member of The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s board of trustees.

With the state’s governing body of scholastic sports unable to conduct traditional high school football playoffs this season due to COVID-19, USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey, in partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, is awarding Team of the Year trophies next week on the state and local league levels.

Finalists are being evaluated for Team of the Year consideration through on-field performance, overall record and sportsmanship. Results of online fan voting polls will factor into the selection. One-of-a-kind trophies, presented by RWJBarnabas Health and USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey, will be awarded to all the honorees.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is honored to pay forward the kindness of others with its donation to RWJBarnabas Health’s children’s hospitals.