LAKEWOOD – A host of local organizations received generous donations recently, courtesy of the 2019 Home Runs for Heroes Program.
This year, the OceanFirst Foundation donated $38,000 to nine area non-profit organizations and military-based programs. The program is a partnership between the BlueClaws, OceanFirst Foundation, and Townsquare Media.
“We are honored to once again partner with the OceanFirst Foundation for this amazing program,” said BlueClaws Team President Joe Ricciutti. “Our men and women of the military, both veterans and active, risk their lives to keep us safe here at home. This program is a great way to give back and we thank OceanFirst Foundation for their support.”
“The 2019 season was a great success and we’re delighted that BlueClaws home runs resulted in $38,000 of donations by OceanFirst Foundation. This brings our eleven year total awarded through Home Runs for Heroes to $376,000. We thank the BlueClaws organization and Townsquare Media for giving us the opportunity to work together to bring much needed relief to local military families with special needs,” said Katherine Durante, Executive Director of OceanFirst Foundation.
Home Runs for Heroes provides funding to local organizations and nonprofits that work to meet the emergency basic needs of veterans and local service men and women, both active and retired, as well as their families.
Non-profits were paired with each inning of the game and each BlueClaws home run hit at FirstEnergy Park meant a $1,000 donation to the charity (or charities) corresponding with the inning in which the home run was hit.
[adrotate banner="278"]For the 2019 season, the following organizations received donations:
- Cape May Coast Guard: $1,000
- American National Red Cross/GI Go Fund: $3,000
- Deborah Heart & Lung Hospital Foundation/Vetgroup: $3,000
- Chariot Riders/National Guard State Family Readiness Council: $1,000
- Army Emergency Relief/Navy Marine Corps. Relief Society: $5,000
- Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Southern NJ/Catholic Charities (Trenton): $1,000
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8867 (Brick)/Operations 1st Response: $2,000
- Lt. Dennis Zilinski II Memorial Fund: $3,000
- Citizens Veteran Advisory Committee: $4,000
Over its 11 seasons, the program has raised $376,000 overall for different organizations.
