The Charles Lafitte Foundation held its sixth annual charity Golf Classic at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster on June 30 to benefit Jersey Battered Women’s Service, a full-service 24-hour domestic violence agency in Morris County. A total of $530,000 was donated to JBWS, which will help provide a safe haven and counseling services for victims of domestic violence. This funding will also provide money to cover the entire stay of several families at the JBWS transitional living facility. The Charles Lafitte Foundation matched every dollar raised at the Golf Classic.
“We thought that JBWS was an organization where we could make a real difference,” Mrs. Citron said. “For larger organizations a half-million-dollar donation is not substantial, but for smaller ones like JBWS it makes a significant impact. “The funds raised … will help families ease their transitions and hopefully allow hope to rise out of tragedy,” she said.
JBWS was chosen as the beneficiary of this year’s Golf Classic because the organization provides much-needed services to women and children affected by domestic abuse. The service offers a 24-hour help line, safe house, transitional living facility and dozens of programs to help women and children cope with their abuse. Each year JBWS has provided about 2,000 individuals with counseling and residential services, answered more than 4,500 help line calls, trained and educated 18,000 youth and adults about the prevention of domestic violence. The money raised through the Golf Classic will greatly benefit a range of programs and services throughout the organization.
“The donation will help us expand our already robust children’s program to allow us to reach more children of nonresidential clients in their own communities,” said Patricia Sly, executive director of JBWS. “This requires an increase in child care, counseling and advocacy, especially for those groups where the native language is not English. “We will also be able to initiate a small scholarship fund to help the children of our clients with health care, school and sports activities. We are very thankful to [the foundation] for making this possible.”
The Golf Classic was attended by 100 business professionals from many of New Jersey’s biggest companies. It featured a speech by the Citrons’ daughter Kyra about her involvement with the foundation. Additional activities included a cocktail reception, lunch buffet and formal check presentation.
Beneficiary
Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Inc. (Morris County, N.J.)
Lunch Sponsors
Jill & Erik Maschler Family Foundation
Mike Krupka
Michelle Cardinal, Cmedia
Hole Sponsors
Peter & Kristen Gerhard
Anthony DiValerio, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Steve McDermott, ICAP
Bill Wilhelm, Bingham McCutchen
Tony & Karen Domiano, TONY DOMIANO CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE
Mort & Pat David
Jeffrey Ganek, NeuStar
Marc Puntus, Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC
Adam Roth, BDO Seidman
Loren Schecter, Duane Morris LLP
Ira Walker, UBS
Tom McCauley, Compak
