The Colonia High School football team is waiving admission to its season-opener against Hillsborough, and is instead asking fans to bring nonperishable food items to the game, which The Marisa Tufaro Foundation will donate to the Hands of Hope Food Pantry.
“Historically, summers are a down time for donations to any food pantry, and especially ours, so to hear the news that Colonia High School is going to give up the (ticket) money to give food to those who really need it is very moving,” said Jackie Goedesky, president and founder of Hands of Hope.
All spectators who attend the Aug. 30 game, which kicks off at 6 p.m., will receive a complimentary Marisa Tufaro Foundation wristband.
The home opener will also serve as a “beach theme night” for the host Patriots, who will award a brand new pair of Beats headphones to one lucky spectator as the student section is encouraged to dress in summer attire.
“Colonia is such a great town and they are always giving to the community,” Colonia head coach Tom Roarty said. “This is the first time we are starting (the high school season) before Labor Day. It’s going to be a special night. We thought it would be a great idea to raise awareness and gather some food for people in need.”
Hillsborough head coach Kevin Carty Jr. said he expects the visiting team’s fans will bring nonperishable food items to the game, as well.
“I’m sure they will,” Carty said. “I know a lot of people are excited for the season to start and to be able to contribute to a great cause at the same time as watching a game is great. I think they’ll really be excited about it.”
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, whose mission is to help children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, has partnered with the Hands of Hope Food Pantry on multiple initiatives including food and winter coat drives.
A tax-exempt nonprofit, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation was founded in loving memory of its namesake, who died last year at the age of 13 following complications from a heart transplant.
The daughter of longtime Home News Tribune sports writer Greg Tufaro and Edison Township Public Schools educator Cyndi Tufaro, Marisa once joined her classmates and teachers at James Monroe Elementary School in Edison to collect nonperishable food items for the Hands of Hope Food Pantry.
An Edison-based nonprofit committed to providing an efficient and centralized system for distributing food to alleviate hunger in the Middlesex County area, the Hands of Hope Food Pantry provided more than 9,400 bags of food to families last year.
The football game promises to be a thriller. Colonia, which finished 7-3 a year ago, features the state’s top-rated prospect, senior defensive end Antonio Alfano, who has committed to the University of Alabama, the reigning national champion.
Hillsborough is coming off a 6-4 campaign that culminated with a playoff loss on the road to eventual Central Group V champion South Brunswick.
The Patriots are looking to extend their playoff-qualifying streak to 10 consecutive seasons.
Founded just over one year ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has already made a profound impact on pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, donating nearly $50,000 and spearheading several community initiatives.
Following are some of the ways in which our nonprofit has made an impact (please click on any of the links below to read about each initiative).
- Partnered with Old Bridge and South Brunswick high schools to collect thousands of toys for pediatric patients at Saint Peter’s University Children’s Hospital and Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.
- Funded the purchase of brand new metal bunk beds for campers at Kiddie Keep Well Camp, which serves more than 600 underserved Middlesex County children annually.
- Partnered with the Kittim N. Sherrod Foundation to provide a youth football and cheerleading organization with a bilingual state-of-the art automated external defibrillator, as well as AED and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for adult members of the organization.
- Supported instruction and supplies for an art therapy program at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, to which our foundation also provided funds for infant mobiles and toy cars staff use to transport children to the operating room for surgery.
- Provided money for equipment and supplies for students with disabilities who utilize the Lakeview School’s newly constructed aquatics center.
- Provided new iPads and gaming system accessories (Xbox and PS4 games, controllers, chargers) for adolescent patients at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.
- Conducted a boardwalk-themed Family Fun Night at Children’s Specialized Hospital, where the sights, sounds and smells of the Jersey Shore were brought to patients and their families through carnival games, food, prizes, music and more.
- Partnered with Teamwork Unlimited Foundation to provide medical alert bracelets to children with autism and pediatric patients with chronic illness who receive outstanding care from Children’s Specialized Hospital, which annually serves more than 34,000 children statewide.
- Partially funded the Make-A-Wish of a Middlesex County boy who is winning a battle with high-risk neuroblastoma to vacation with his family at Walt Disney World.
- Provided physical therapy at Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center and Project Walk for Middlesex County children whose families do not have health insurance or whose families’ health insurer does not cover the cost of the physical therapy.
- Partnered with Edison High School and the Chamberlain College of Nursing to raise money and collect nonperishable food items to benefit Middlesex County children and their families through Hands of Hope via our foundation’s participation in the Race to Outrun Hunger.
- Provided meals and goods for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Jersey.
- Assisted four families whose children are in medical crisis, providing financial support through the payment of medical and/or personal expenses to help lessen the burden of parents who have lost wages while spending time at the hospital.
- Provided summer art camp scholarships to Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Musem for Middlesex County elementary and middle school students.
- Rewarded high school students for their community service to children with scholarships.
- Partnered with James Monroe Elementary School to fill “Weekend Snack Bags” for pediatric patients and their families.
- Provided scholarships to Greater Middlesex Conference student-athletes.
- Partnered wtih Middlesex High School to conduct a coat drive for Middlesex County children.
- Provided gift cards for pediatric patients and their families.
Greg and Cyndi, Thank you for choosing Hands of Hope as one of the recipients of the Marisa Tufaro Foundation! Thank you for the donations of warm coats in the winter, for the fantastic toys for the holidays, and the food drives that fill the shelves at the food pantry. And last, but not the least, the support of the members of the foundation for the Race Against Hunger. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Hands of Hope – Thank you all!