CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE EVENT.
Dozens of high school golfers joined The Marisa Tufaro Foundation in taking a swing at alleviating food insecurity.
In addition to participating in the Tee Off Against Hunger at Top Golf in Edison on Sunday, some of the 60 boys and girls golfers from the Greater Middlesex Conference also worked with teammates to collect nonperishable food items for donation.
All donated food and proceeds from the event, which raised more than $20,000, benefited Hands of Hope for the Community, which is committed to providing an efficient and centralized system for distributing food in Middlesex County to combat hunger.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, an Edison-based nonprofit whose mission is to help children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, sponsored the 60 high school golfers, partnering with a generous benefactor to cover their full registration fee to participate in the event.
More than 100 adults joined the 60 scholastic student-athletes for more than two hours of golf, a hot lunch buffet, bottomless beverages, a free shot at a $10,000 hole-in-one prize, and a post-event ceremony during which dozens of raffle prizes were gifted to participants and awards were presented to the top performers. The giveaways included a foursome with lunch at the Metuchen Golf and Country Club.
Dignitaries in attendance included Senator Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, who both represent New Jersey’s 18th legislative district, which encompasses seven Middlesex County municipalities.
Middlesex County Commissioner Charles E. Tomaro, who serves on Hands of Hope for the Community’s board of directors, said corporate and individual sponsors, as well as support from Top Golf, whose staff he called “absolutely wonderful,” helped make the event a tremendous success. Tomaro also praised the high school golfers.
“I think it’s awesome that these students (participated) 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,” Tomaro said. “It’s great to have the high schools (about two dozen were represented). I think they had a great time today.”
Ian Aiello and Sonny Lawson, both of South River, posted the first and second highest scores, respectively, among the high school participants, while Piscataway’s Vinnie Novak had the third highest score. The top three finishers each received a commemorative plaque acknowledging their place of finish.
South Plainfield’s Henry Blewitt teamed with a quintet of Edison golfers – Ethan Lin, Ryan Lin, Atharva Inamdar, Mason Manolopolous, Raag Gajjar – to post the highest group score among all of the six-participant bays.
South River Athletics Director Carl Buffalino, who chairs the Greater Middlesex Conference golf committee, noted the event came “in the middle of the season” and that golfers benefited from “hitting balls and practicing their swings,” especially with many coming off spring break.
“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.”
North Brunswick coach Ed Breheney, whose golfers collected nonperishable food items for donation, said it was “heartwarming to see the kids have that kind of feeling for others in need.” Breheney and many of his coaching peers attended the event.
“It says a lot about all the golfers in Middlesex County,” Breheney said of watching the student-athletes rally together. “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. Greater Middlesex Conference high school sports programs have been the nonprofit’s biggest supporters.
Since its inception less than five years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has paid forward the generosity of others, donating a quarter of a million dollars to assist pediatric patients and underserved children.
The nonprofit has also 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. She was just 13 years old.
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 Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
The inaugural Tee Off Against Hunger succeeded 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.
J.P. Stevens coach John Canova, who also attended the event, said it was “a fun day” with a “serious tone to it,” referring to the need to alleviate food insecurity. Canova’s golfers also collected nonperishable food items for donation.
Tomaro said Hands of Hope for the Community will benefit from the nonperishable food items the high school golf teams generated 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.