The schedule has been released for the fourth annual Greater Middlesex Conference Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival, which will be held Sept. 28 at Metuchen High School with 11 games contested across multiple fields at staggered start times.

The showcase will feature 22 girls soccer teams, who are uniting to help pediatric cancer patients and other children in need through their participation in the fundraising event, which will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation and Go4theGoal.

In addition, the more than 300 players and coaches involved in the festival will also collect nonperishable food items for REPLENISH, a regional food bank serving Middlesex County residents.

Over the past three years, the charity festival has raised more than $40,000 for the two nonprofits while also generating over two tons of food for REPLENISH.

Since its inception seven years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than $350,000 to assist pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

Go4theGoal’s mission is to improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing, and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research, and granting personal wishes.

The event fittingly occurs in September, which is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Hunger Awareness Month.

Festival schedule

Following are the festival matchups and start times with field locations:

Middlesex vs. South Plainfield, varsity grass field, 9 a.m.

Wardlaw-Hartridge vs. East Brunswick, adjacent grass field, 9 a.m.

North Plainfield vs. Piscataway, turf field, 9 a.m.

J.P. Stevens vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas, varsity grass field, 11 a.m.

J.F. Kennedy vs. Woodbridge, adjacent grass field, 11 a.m.

Carteret vs. Perth Amboy, turf field, 11 a.m.

Sayreville vs. Colonia, varsity grass field, 2 p.m.

New Brunswick vs. North Brunswick, adjacent grass field, 2 p.m.

South Brunswick vs. Edison, turf field, 2 p.m.

Metuchen vs. Monroe, varsity grass field, 4 p.m.

Spotswood vs. Old Bridge, adjacent grass field, 4 p.m.

Friendly competition 

In the weeks leading up to the showcase, the 22 participating teams have engaged in a friendly competition off the field to raise money for the two charities.

North Brunswick, East Brunswick, Old Bridge, Monroe, Piscataway, South Brunswick, J.P. Stevens, Edison, Carteret, St. Thomas Aquinas, and North Plainfield are raising money for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.

Metuchen, Colonia, Woodbridge, Sayreville, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, South Plainfield, J.F. Kennedy, Spotswood, Wardlaw-Hartridge, and Middlesex are raising money for Go4theGoal.

The top fundraising teams for each charity will be publicly recognized during a special awards presentation on the day of the festival on the turf field at 1 p.m.

Helping children in need

Marisa Tufaro survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.

Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa was an Edison Township Public Schools honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities. She lived a vibrant life that inspired.

In addition to donating more than $350,000 to fulfill its mission, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has spearheaded multiple community initiatives resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter coats, baby supplies, school supplies, and other items for donation upon which it has placed no monetary value.

The foundation has also awarded $33,000 in college academic scholarships to 46 Middlesex County high school graduates and sent 27 elementary and middle school students to a weeklong summer art camp at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has benefited from dozens of fundraisers, ranging in size from individual events at Greater Middlesex Conference schools to conference-wide all-star games and tournaments featuring student-athletes from the entire league.

“The Greater Middlesex Conference has been our nonprofit’s biggest supporter,” said Cyndi Tufaro, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s executive director. “Words can never express our gratitude to all those throughout the conference who have selflessly worked together over the past seven years to profoundly impact the lives of children in need.

“The Greater Middlesex Conference girls soccer community is continuing that tradition in exemplary fashion. We are honored to once again join Go4theGoal as a beneficiary of this amazing charity festival.”

Fighting pediatric cancer

New Jersey residents Dr. Richard Stefanacci and his wife, Beth, founded Go4theGoal in 2006, soon after their oldest child was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

Go4theGoal’s Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer fundraising initiative was created in 2011 in response to New Jersey youth soccer teams that wanted to help make a difference, and now gives sports teams across the country an opportunity to raise awareness and much-needed support.  All funds stay in the state they are raised to help local children battling cancer.

“On behalf of Go4theGoal, we are incredibly honored to be one of two beneficiaries for the Greater Middlesex Conference Charity Festival,” said Beth Stefanacci, Go4theGoal’s executive director.

“We have had the privilege of partnering with a number of girls soccer teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference through our Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer initiative over the past several years. We are truly grateful to all of the coaches for including us. It is only because of the efforts of teams like these that we are able to make a difference in the lives of kids battling cancer and their families in New Jersey.”

According to the American Cancer Society, this year about 9,620 children between 1 and 14 years of age in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer will claim the lives of about 1,040 children under the age of 15 nationwide in 2024. Cancer is second only to accidents as the leading cause of death in children 14 and younger.

Childhood cancer rates have been rising slightly for the past few decades, but with major advances in treatment, 85% of children with cancer now survive five years or more, a significant increase from the mid-1970s when the five-year survival rate was less than 60% (survival rates vary greatly depending on myriad factors including the type of cancer with which a child is diagnosed).

Since 2007, Go4theGoal has funded more than $1 million in pediatric cancer research and works with nearly 200 hospitals across the country to provide assistance to patients and families.

Go4theGoal has annually been rated since 2011 as a top nonprofit by GreatNonprofits.com and has a Platinum Seal of Approval from Guidestar.

Food for thought

For the fourth consecutive year, the Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival will also collect donations for REPLENISH, which serves a network of more than 160 local food pantries, soup kitchens and social service agencies.

Spectators attending the charity festival are encouraged to drop off nonperishable food items at Metuchen High School on the day of the event.

Canned chicken, cereal, macaroni and cheese, canned meats, pasta, vegetables (low sodium), fruits (low sugar), diapers, wipes, stew (low sodium), granola bars, rice, dry beans (red, black, pinto), paper products, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste are among the preferred items for donation. REPLENISH can only accept canned and packaged goods (no glass items).

According to the latest data from Feeding America, more than 60,000 Middlesex County residents, including 12,000 children, are food insecure.

On the heels of the pandemic, escalating fuel costs and rising inflation rates have exacerbated the issue, as nearly 800,000 state residents are currently food insecure.

“Lacking sufficient food presents many challenges for everyone, but the impacts on children are particularly devastating,” said Jennifer Apostol, director of REPLENISH, which serves Middlesex County residents including an estimated 30,000 children.

“Children who face hunger are more at risk for serious health conditions like anemia, asthma, diabetes, and obesity and are more likely to be hospitalized. Children dealing with food insecurity also face academic challenges. When a child is hungry, they have difficulty focusing on their classwork, and cannot retain the information and skills necessary to flourish.”

Regardless of the outcomes of the 11 games being contested at Metuchen High School on Sept. 28, pediatric cancer patients, children in need and food insecure families will all benefit from one common goal.

“In addition to showcasing (conference teams), the festival will be exposing athletes to the value of community service,” said Metuchen head coach Mike Knoth, one of the event’s organizers.

“The support from Greater Middlesex Conference coaches has been tremendous.”