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Colavita Foundation Donates Bikes to NJ YMCA; read more
 
Team Colavita/Sutter Home Inspires Georgia Dream Team read more
 

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Dear Friend,
When disaster strikes or economic hardships take a toll on families, it is often the children who suffer most. Through the efforts of our Foundation, we hope to ease their sadness by providing gifts that they will cherish during those difficult times. Your generous support will help create more smiles for these children.

Thank you so very much.

Sincerely,
Connie Profaci
President,
The Colavita Foundation for Children

 

 





It takes determination and a lot of love to channel the pain of tragedy into emotional healing. So it happened that the Colavita families, seeking a way to transform profound sorrow over the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, chose to create some joyous occasions for the youngest victims of the tragedy—the children who lost parents that day.

The Colavita Foundation for Children was founded to offer help and hope to children who have suffered losses from catastrophic events, or whose lives have been saddened by economic hardships. In addition,we aim to educate children about the lifelong health and fitness benefits of cycling. We are chartered as a charitable organization for this purpose
under New Jersey nonprofit corporation law.

In our inaugural program following the events of 9/11,we successfully melded these goals by donating bicycles and helmets to the children of victims of this tragedy. Through the assistance of government agencies and charitable organizations, the Foundation presented a special certificate to each child, who then visited a local participating bicycle shop along with the surviving parent or guardian. The children had memorable moments in the shops, selecting and being fitted for their new bikes and helmets. The positive response to those gifts has provided happy proof that bikes are a great way to lighten the sadness of children in distress—and are equally appreciated by parents and guardians.

“Many organizations have provided very generous support to the families affected by the 9/11 tragedy—all greatly appreciated. The Colavita Foundation’s imaginative program has won special praise and thanks from the surviving parents for doing something fun for the kids.” Kathy Yuill, Crisis Response Coordinator,United Way of Essex and West Hudson



Those are the statistics for the Colavita Foundation’s 9/11 initiative. In designing that program,we recalled treasured childhood memories of receiving our first bikes and set out to give each of those children a similar experience. Going forward, the Foundation plans to continue the bicycle gifting program for other children suffering from the effects of economic hardship or tragic circumstances.

In addition, Colavita USA, our family company, is now sponsoring on the Foundation’s behalf, professional cycling and health events such as The Colavita Cup, Tour of Maplewood, and Family Fit Day, as well as professional teams like the Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team, the Colavita/Cooking Light Women’s Cycling Team, and recreational cycling clubs around the country. It is our hope that programs such as these will inspire children of all ages. At the same time, we hope to spotlight the Foundation’s name and mission through expanding regional and even national press coverage.

Our pro team affiliation also promises some added excitement for the kids.
Future beneficiaries of our bike program will receive Colavita Pro junior bikes and the fun of being part of the “racing scene.”



The Colavita Foundation for Children is especially fortunate to have the support of one of America’s premier cycling athletes. Marty Nothstein, former world champion and gold medallist in the 2000 Olympics,was honored in 2001 by the National Fatherhood Initiative with its prestigious Fatherhood Award. As a visible sports figure and father,Marty is an ideal spokesman for our bicycle gifting program, as well as an inspiring role model for children. Marty will also be representing the Foundation as he continues to compete, striving to represent the USA in the 2004 Olympic Games.




Funding for our bicycle gifting program to date has come entirely from the Colavita families in the form of personal and corporate contributions. We are now ready to expand our program to reach many more children, and for that we need your help. Please consider making a contribution.

As a token of our sincere appreciation, contributors who donate $100 or more to our “Sponsor a Bike” program for children in need will receive an autographed, 8”x10” color photograph of Marty Nothstein.

click here to download our Contribution Form (pdf format)


The Colavita Foundation for Children and its programs benefit from a close
relationship with Colavita USA. All family members serving on the Foundation volunteer their time, and Colavita USA donates services for administration. By eliminating all expenses for administrative salaries and overhead, we are able to ensure that every dollar donated to the Foundation goes 100% to its intended purpose.

Encouraged by the positive response to the first bike program, the Colavita Foundation intends to continue building on this gifting program for future outreach to children in need. Please contact us if you own or operate a bike shop and would like to participate in our program.

To maximize our effectiveness, the Foundation plans to partner with other charitable organizations sponsoring community outreach and support programs that benefit children in need. Our current focus is on children in the the Newark,New Jersey area. In addition,we contemplate initiating and administering other kinds of programs benefiting children as needs are identified and funds are available. We welcome inquiries from all interested people and organizations.

With an efficient organization in place, a stellar track record from our inaugural program and boundless energy,we have big plans for bringing smiles to the faces of a lot more kids. You can help us make them happen. For updates on our programs and how we are helping, please contact us at www.colavitafoundation.org.

The Colavita Foundation for Children
PO Box 9143
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
email: info@colavitafoundation.org
phone: 908-862-5454

The Colavita Foundation For Children is a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
© 2003, The Colavita Foundation for Children