Charity soccer festival helps pediatric cancer patients, children in need, food insecure

Twenty-two Greater Middlesex Conference high school girls soccer teams are uniting to help pediatric cancer patients and other children in need through their participation in a fundraising event benefiting two New Jersey-based nonprofits.

In addition, the more than 300 players and coaches involved in the 2023 Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival will also collect nonperishable food items for REPLENISH, a regional food bank serving Middlesex County residents.

The third annual showcase will be held Sept. 30 at Metuchen High School with 11 games between evenly matched teams being contested across four fields at staggered times starting at 10 a.m.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation and Go4theGoal are once again the charity festival’s beneficiaries.

Over the past two years, the charity festival has raised nearly $30,000 for the two nonprofits while also generating more than 1.5 tons of food for REPLENISH.

Since its inception six years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than $300,000 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.

‘Way to use this beautiful game’

The objective of the charity festival is to create a competitive environment and develop friendly rivalries among participating teams while emphasizing good sportsmanship, positive communication, mutual respect, and giving back to the community through a collaborative effort.

The Home News Tribune, Courier News, MyCentralJersey.com, NJ.com, Central Jersey Sports Radio, and TAPinto are among the media outlets who have promoted or covered the charity festival, while the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association spotlighted last year's soccer showcase with an exceptional feature story.

Prior to last year’s event, three-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Heather O’Reilly praised the participants.

“I want to congratulate all the teams and coaches that are participating in this amazing event to raise money for a really good cause,” said O’Reilly, an East Brunswick High School alumnus who never forgets her Greater Middlesex Conference roots. “You guys are awesome. Way to use this beautiful game in a beautiful way.”

State Sen. Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., whose legislative district encompasses seven Middlesex County towns, also praised the student-athletes and coaches for their involvement.

“I want to congratulate the 22 girls high school soccer teams,” Diegnan said before last year’s event. “I’ve always said that sports celebrate what’s good in young people, and you are proving that by participating in the fundraiser and the food drive. Keep up the good work. We are all proud of you.”

Friendly competition  

In the weeks leading up to the showcase, the 22 participating teams will engage 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 South River will raise money for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.

Metuchen, Colonia, Woodbridge, Sayreville, New Brunswick, North Plainfield, South Plainfield, J.F. Kennedy, Spotswood, Wardlaw-Hartridge, and Middlesex will raise 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.

The late Ron Mazzola of Prestige Imaging in Old Bridge donated the plaque upon which the names of the top fundraising schools will be engraved. Colonia and Carteret were the top fundraisers in 2021 while Colonia shared the honor with Old Bridge in 2022.

“It will be a great day watching teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference play against each other in competitive games,” said North Brunswick High School head coach Megan Carroll, one of the event’s organizers.

“The festival's goal is to raise donations for various charities in the Middlesex County area. This charity work brings teams together and exemplifies giving back to one's community. I look forward to a day of competition, giving back and comradery."

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 9,910 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 2023. 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.

Helping children in need

Marisa Tufaro survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer (post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder) 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 multiple extracurricular activities who lived a vibrant life that inspired.

In addition to donating more than $300,000 to fulfill its mission, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has also spearheaded multiple community initiatives resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter coats, baby supplies and other items for donation upon which it has placed no monetary value.

The foundation has also awarded $29,500 in college academic scholarships to 42 Middlesex County high school graduates, and an additional 20 scholarships for Middlesex County elementary and middle school students to attend 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 six 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.”

Food for thought

For the third 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. 30, 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, another of the event’s organizers.

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

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ girls soccer teams unite for charity