Dozens of high school golfers will join The Marisa Tufaro Foundation in taking a swing at alleviating food insecurity.
In addition to participating in the Tee Off Against Hunger on April 24 at Top Golf in Edison, some of the 60 boys and girls golfers from the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) committed to the event are working with teammates to collect nonperishable food items for donation.
All donated food and proceeds from the event will benefit Hands of Hope for the Community, an Edison-based nonprofit committed to providing an efficient and centralized system for distributing food in Middlesex County to combat hunger.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to help children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, is sponsoring the 60 high school golfers, partnering with a generous benefactor to cover their full registration fee to participate in the event.
Tickets include three hours of golf, a hot lunch buffet, bottomless fountain soda, iced tea and water, eligibility to compete in the Top Contender Tournament, and a lifetime membership to Top Golf.
“I think it’s awesome that these students will be participating in our first Tee Off Against Hunger event at Top Golf, showing off their skills and participating to help raise some funds for us to continue to feed ones in need in Middlesex County,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Charles E. Tomaro, who serves on Hands of Hope for the Community’s board of directors.
“It’s great to have the high schools (about two dozen will be represented) there. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tomaro said the event, which is expected to draw a couple hundred participants, including some former NFL players, will also feature giveaways and raffle prizes including a foursome with lunch at the Metuchen Country Club.
South River High School Athletics Director Carl Buffalino, who chairs the GMC golf committee, noted the event comes “in the middle of the season” and that golfers will benefit from “hitting balls and practicing their swings.”
“These guys and girls that play golf are hard-working and dedicated,” Buffalino said. “They are a great bunch to be around and work with. They are good people – all ladies and gentlemen – and they want to help a tremendous cause such as this. I’m extremely proud.”
One of the Tee Off Against Hunger’s organizers will create a fun tournament format within the event to determine the GMC’s top golfers.
“The great part I have found with Top Golf, given any level of golfer, from beginner to advanced, is it gives them the opportunity to work on their game,” J.P. Stevens High School golf coach John Canova said.
“It’s a fun day but it also has a serious tone to it. I’m looking forward to being able to go and see it for myself.”
Of first extending an invitation to his team to participate in the event and optional food drive, North Brunswick High School golf coach Ed Breheney said, “I had no idea what they’re reaction would be.”
“After the first three or four days, we had boxes of canned food being brought in. It was heartwarming to see the kids have that kind of feeling for others in need. It says a lot about all the golfers in Middlesex County.”
Breheney said watching golfers in his program rally together “speaks about the sport of golf itself.”
“Even though it’s an individual sport, you are contributing to the team,” Breheney said. “I think they really like the fact of being a giver to other people. This (event) is a way for them to give back, something they were anxious to do, and I’m very impressed by it.”
Community service is an integral part of The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s mission. GMC high schools have been the nonprofit’s biggest supporters and fundraisers.
Middlesex High School golf coach Tim Morris, who also coaches girls soccer at the high school, was instrumental in a wildly successful GMC soccer festival that raised nearly $17,000 for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation and Go4TheGoal last fall. The festival, which doubled as a food drive, also generated 1,500 pounds of food.
“It’s been really great to have these opportunities for student-athletes to give back and be a part of something like this,” Morris said of the Tee Off Against Hunger.
“I don’t think they necessarily appreciate the platform they have as student-athletes to be able to raise money and participate in these different events. It’s kind of eye-opening for them.”
Since its inception less than five years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has paid forward the generosity of others, donating nearly a quarter of a million dollars to assist pediatric patients and underserved children.
The nonprofit also has donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter jackets, baby supplies and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value.
In addition, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has awarded $21,500 in academic scholarships to 31 high school graduates.
Marisa Tufaro, who would have graduated last year from Edison High School, survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle.
Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa Tufaro lived a vibrant life that inspired.
As a student, Marisa Tufaro joined her classmates, as well as the faculty and staff at James Monroe Elementary School, in collecting nonperishable food items to donate to Hands of Hope for the Community, whose mission of helping children in need and their families aligns nicely with that of the nonprofit bearing Marisa Tufaro’s name.
The inaugural Tee Off Against Hunger succeeds an annual Race to Outrun Hunger fundraiser, which generated more than $75,000 in donations for Hands of Hope for the Community during the five years it was held (2014-18) at Roosevelt Park in Edison.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation partnered with Edison High School’s football program to take part in the last two Race to Outrun Hunger events. Partnering with Greater Middlesex Conference golfers to Tee Off Against Hunger was a natural progression.
Tomaro said Hands of Hope for the Community will benefit from any nonperishable food items the high school golf teams generate because “we are running low on food.”
The organization’s next food drive is scheduled for May 21 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at its St. James Church headquarters on Woodbridge Avenue.
For more information about the Tee Off Against Hunger, including sponsorship opportunities and raffle prize donations, please visit the event’s official website.
Those unable to attend but wishing to donate directly to Hands of Hope for the Community, can do so at bit.ly/DonateHandsofHope.