New York, NY (August 25, 2010) –New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin will host his sixth annual charity gala on Friday, October 1, at Cipirani's in midtown Manhattan.
All proceeds from the "Champions for Children" gala will benefit the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which provides financial assistance and emotional support to families of children with cancer. The special honorees of the evening are Charles W. Allen, President and CEO of Athlon Sports Communications Inc; and Jerald F. Irving, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of ICAP Securities USA LLC, who will be honored for their philanthropic work for children. Both honorees exemplify excellence and teamwork in their fields of endeavor as well as outstanding civic leadership.
Mr. Allen is being honored for his and Athlon's generous and continued partnership with The Champions For Children Gala and its fundraising journal since its inception. Their efforts over the years have helped raise significant monies for The Jay Fund. A 1974 graduate of Tennessee Technological University, Allen heads the Nashville-based media company that publishes preseason, single-title sports annuals, covering professional and college athletics. The company's newest venture, Athlon Sports, will be a monthly publication offering unique perspectives and opinions, telling compelling stories of athletes and teams and providing analyses of all sports. Debuting in October with a circulation of seven million via daily and community newspapers, the magazine will be the largest sports publication in the United States.
Mr. Irving will be recognized for his ongoing contributions to the work of the Jay Fund and the exceptional philanthropic leadership of ICAP to benefit children's charities. ICAP, the world's premier voice and electronic interdealer broker and provider of post trade risk and information services, founded ICAP Charity Day – a day when all revenues and commissions are given away to charities. Donations include contributions from ICAP brokers who turn over their commissions that day, as well as 100% of that day's ICAP revenues. Over the past 17 years, more than $119 million has been donated to charity.
For information about corporate tables and supporting the event, call 212-627-1000 or email jayfund@resevt.com. Organization information can be found at www.tcjayfund.org.
Scores of current and former New York Giants are expected to attend the event, which has raised over $3 million since its inception in 2005. Player/celebrity commitments will be announced in the coming weeks along with major silent auction donations as the foundation pursues a fundraising goal of $600,000.
The event will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. with a red carpet cocktail party and silent auction, followed by a formal sit-down dinner and live entertainment. WNBC-TV Sports anchor Bruce Beck will serve as master of ceremonies.
Following the "Champions For Children" gala, the Giants will take on the Chicago Bears at the Meadowlands on Sunday, October 3rd. The season opener is September 12th at home against the Carolina Panthers.
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About The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund
Founded in 1996, The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation was created in the honor of Jay McGillis, a member of the Boston College Football team who developed leukemia while a member of the team.
Then-Boston College head coach Tom Coughlin was inspired by the courage, compassion and faith he and his family demonstrated during the course of his illness. It is the mission of The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation to assist children with leukemia and other cancers and their families by providing emotional and financial support to help improve the children's quality of life and to help reduce the family stress associated with going through this crisis. This allows the families to focus on what matters most – the health of the child.
The Jay Fund has expanded its outreach to pediatric oncology patients in the New York area by adding therapeutic diversion programs at the NYU Langone Medical Center; sending 10 pediatric oncology patients to Camp Happy Times this summer; and establishing an emergency fund at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey to aid families in crisis with transportation and household expenses.
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