Tee Off Against Hunger raises more than $30,000 for Hands of Hope

Dozens of high school golfers joined The Marisa Tufaro Foundation in taking a swing at alleviating childhood and family hunger in Middlesex County.

In addition to participating in the Tee Off Against Hunger at TopGolf in Edison on Sunday, some of the 54 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 $30,000, 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 54 high school golfers, partnering with a generous benefactor to cover their full registration fee to participate in the event.

Click HERE for a photo gallery from Sunday's Tee Off Against Hunger.

More than 50 adults joined the scholastic student-athletes for more than two hours of golf, a hot lunch buffet, bottomless beverages, and a post-event ceremony during which dozens of raffle prizes were gifted to participants and awards were presented to the top high school performers.

Dignitaries in attendance included Senator Patrick Diegnan and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, who both represent New Jersey’s 18th legislative district.

Middlesex County Commissioner Charles E. Tomaro, who serves as Hands of Hope for the Community’s president, said corporate and individual sponsors, as well as support from TopGolf, 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 (second annual) Tee Off Against Hunger event at TopGolf, showing off their skills and participating to help raise some funds for us to continue to feed ones in need in Middlesex County,” said Tomaro, whose nonprofit organized and ran Sunday's event. “It’s great to have the high schools (more than a dozen were represented). I think they had a great time today.”

Pooja Jade of J.P. Stevens and Justin Hsieh of East Brunswick posted the highest scores, respectively, among the competing girls and boys high school golfers. Edison’s Hena Patel and Saint Joseph’s Nick Campanella were the runners up, respectively, among the girls and boys golfers. All four received a commemorative plaque acknowledging their place of finish.

South River Athletics Director Carl Buffalino, who chairs the Greater Middlesex Conference golf committee, praised the scholastic student-athletes for taking part in the event.

“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.”

More than two dozen golfers from the conference won raffle prizes, which included shirts, hats, gift certificates to eateries and restaurants, artwork, gift baskets, and a three-month platinum membership to TopGolf.

Other top prizes included two tickets to a New Jersey Devils game, two tickets to a New York Yankees game, and a foursome with lunch at the Metuchen Golf and Country Club.

Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen set the tone for the event, partnering last month with The Marisa Tufaro Foundation to conduct a food drive and fundraiser in advance of the Tee Off Against Hunger to benefit Hands of Hope for the Community.

Through its Campus Ministry, under the direction of Tracey Coudriet, Saint Joseph collected nonperishable food items for an entire week, while simultaneously conducting a fundraising raffle for Hands of Hope for the Community in which six student winners received free entry, courtesy of The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, to the Tee Off Against Hunger.

Saint Joseph’s efforts generated $600, as well as nearly six full bins of canned goods and other nonperishable food items for donation to Hands of Hope for the Community.

“I want to congratulate and thank all the high schools in Middlesex County for stepping up in support of Hands for Hope for the Community and addressing the growing issue of childhood and family hunger,” Saint Joseph High School President John G.  Nolan, Jr. said.

“For those of us who are fortunate to eat three meals a day and snack at our pleasure, we take for granted that food is readily accessible. That is not the case for all families and children. I am especially proud of the students at Saint Joseph High School for not only participating in the Tee Off Against Hunger, but for going the extra mile by conducting a food drive and fundraiser in collaboration with The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.

“Service to others is part of Saint Joe's culture and it is something our students are introduced to the minute they step on campus. I am not at all surprised that our young men would go above and beyond to assist those in need. That's the Saint Joe's way in action.”

Saint Joseph students who participated in the Tee Off Against Hunger presented Tomaro with the $600 check on Sunday afternoon.

Hands of Hope for the Community honored Saint Joseph senior Josh Oliveira, recognizing his years of service to the nonprofit with a $1,000 scholarship, which Tomaro presented during the awards ceremony.

A lifelong Edison resident enrolled in numerous honors and advanced placement courses, Oliveira captains the school’s robotics team, is a senior patrol leader with his boy scout troop, serves as vice president of Saint Joseph’s Model United Nations and Youth & Government programs, and played two years of varsity soccer.

Despite being involved in myriad extracurricular activities, Oliveira has found time to perform countless hours of community service for Hands of Hope for the Community.

Following in the footsteps of his three older siblings, Oliveira regularly volunteers at Hands of Hope for the Community, where his recent Eagle Scout Project created an organized system of storage for the food pantry through the building of shelves in two storage units.

“Saint Joe’s has done a lot, not only for Hands of Hope, but for other food pantries and charities, as well,” Tomaro said, noting Oliveira is “an amazing young man” who epitomizes Saint Joseph High School’s giving nature.

“From registering and checking in clients to setting up, whatever we need Josh to do, he’s there,” Tomaro said of Oliveira’s work at Hands of Hope for the Community. “The biggest part of what Josh has helped the Hands of Hope with was his Eagle Scout project. It was a big deal. He organized the storage units to make it easier for us when we go to get the food (for distribution).”

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 in July 2017, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to assist pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

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 $26,500 in academic scholarships to 38 high school graduates.

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 Tufaro was an honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities who lived a vibrant life that inspired.

As student council vice president at James Monroe Elementary School in Edison, Marisa Tufaro joined her classmates to collect nonperishable food items to donate to Hands of Hope for the Community.

The high school golfers added a much-welcomed positive competitive spirit and youthful exuberance to this year’s event.

John Canova, the head golf coach at J.P. Stevens, which joined township rival Edison as an unofficial host school for the Tee Off Against Hunger, said “it’s great to see” so many scholastic golfers participating in the second annual event.

“You get to see how all the teams work together to try to build that sense of community and family by really getting involved,” Canova said. “My golfers have a deep sense of pride in representing J.P. Stevens.”

Canova said The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s ability to collaborate with a generous benefactor to sponsor the golfers “adds up to a bigger event.”

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s leadership is eternally grateful to all the student-athletes for sacrificing a Sunday afternoon to partake in the Tee Off Against Hunger, as well as their coaches and families for providing support.

Founded in 1992, Hands of Hope for the Community operates out of Saint James Church on Woodbridge Avenue in Edison with an all-volunteer staff to silence the pain hunger brings. Hands of Hope is focused on sustaining good nutrition, health, and human dignity by providing a means for individuals in need to meet their full potential.

Those unable to make the event but wishing to donate directly to Hands of Hope for the Community, can do so at https://www.hohnj.org/donate

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Tee Off Against Hunger raises more than $30,000 for Hands of Hope