Be There.
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That's the motto of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which for two decades has pledged to be there for families tackling childhood cancer with financial, emotional and practical support. From helping with household bills to simply making a child's life brighter, the foundation is here so the parents can be there for their child.
The latter was recently on full display at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center where the Giants' head coach, his wife Judy and the entire Coughlin family welcomed dozens of children and their loved ones to the annual Tom Coughlin Jay Fund "Sundae Blitz."
There the kids and their families received a behind-the-scenes look at the facility and met with current and former players, including Eli Manning, Mark Herzlich, Henry Hynoski, Damontre Moore, Ereck Flowers, Landon Collins, David Tyree and Chris Snee.
And of course, there was plenty of ice cream.
"Each and every time we have an event," Coughlin said, "whether it be today with the Sundae Blitz, to see a lot of new faces and a lot of smiling faces is really rewarding and fulfilling."
Created in 1996 in honor of Jay McGillis, a player who developed leukemia while a member of Coughlin's team at Boston College, the Jay Fund continues to grow to new heights in its 20th year.
Photos of Coach Tom Coughlin's Jay Fund's annual Sundae Blitz
Meanwhile, it has very much become a family affair for the Coughlins, who witnessed the strains on the McGillis Family in the eight months between Jay's diagnosis and his passing.
"For me, it's the growing part," Judy said about what she is most proud of with the foundation. "It's coming together for these families and seeing how much fun they have as a family, not just the child but the mom, the dad, the siblings, that's just so fulfilling, so joyful. That's the part that I love."
"It's all about the kids and the experience they're going through today," said Snee, Coughlin's son-in-law. "Getting to tour the Giants' facility and meeting some of the players, having Eli Manning talk to them I'm sure was a thrill for them, and then to see them just smiling, having fun out there with all they're dealing with in their life, I'm sure the parents and families love to see the smiles.
"It's huge because with the parents' sacrifice and what they have to give up just to stay home and take care of the children, they're not able to meet some of those costs. They add up over time. So that's why this is so huge. It's something as simple as electric or gas or water, having the burden lifted off their shoulder is a lot."
While Coughlin sets out on his 12th season as the head coach of the Giants, the organization has been there to support the Jay Fund every step of the way.
"The Mara and the Tisch family have supported the Jay Fund from day one," Coughlin said. "And to be able to utilize the facility the way we do to bring smiles to the faces of these families, it's just an incredible thing. And the Giants in their support of the Jay Fund have just been tremendous."
