The Healey Brothers Driven to Give Foundation donated a record $110,000 to Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley after its annual golf outing exceeded a $100,000 fundraising goal. The gift will help fund approximately 11 wishes for children with critical illnesses across the region, according to the foundation and the chapter.
The donation came from the Fifth Annual Healey Brothers Driven to Give Foundation Golf Outing, held October 2 at Osiris Country Club in Walden, N.Y. The outing is the foundation’s largest annual event and biggest fundraiser, bringing together local businesses, community partners, employees and supporters.
Healey Brothers Driven to Give More Than Its Goal
After donating $30,000 to Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley last year, the foundation set its most ambitious fundraising goal to date. Support from Ford Motor Company, event sponsors and participants helped make the goal achievable. An additional $10,000 contribution brought the final donation to $110,000.
Jay Healey, Chief Marketing Officer at Healey Brothers Automotive Group, said employees, customers and business partners came together to support local families. He said surpassing the goal means more children in the Hudson Valley will have the opportunity to experience a wish. Healey Brothers Driven to Give reflects the company’s stated commitment to those communities.
Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley has 125 children across the region waiting for their wishes to be granted. The foundation’s gift will help fund approximately 11 wishes, the organizations said. Earlier this year, employees decorated the company’s corporate offices with Disney-themed displays for Isabella, a local child whose wish was to visit Disney, and gave her family a send-off.
Support Extends Beyond the Annual Outing
Kristine Burton, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, said Healey employees had embraced wish families and created experiences that made children feel celebrated and supported. She said the $110,000 gift would help children and families have something joyful to anticipate during a difficult time.
Courtney Favelukes said her daughter Gigi’s wish to meet singer Katy Perry gave their family lasting memories together away from treatment. After Gigi died in September 2023, Favelukes began volunteering with Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley to help other families experience similar joy. She said every child deserves hope and joy.
John Koerner, Executive General Manager of Healey Brothers, thanked returning supporters and event organizers. He said their continued involvement had helped the outing grow into the foundation’s signature fundraiser. Koerner said supporters helped the organization grow from funding approximately three wishes last year to approximately 11 this year.
A Regional Fund for Community Giving
Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley is marking its 40th anniversary this year. Since 1986, the chapter has granted more than 3,500 wishes for children with critical illnesses across its eight-county service area. The chapter said local partnerships play a vital role in reaching families.
Established with the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, the Healey Brothers Driven to Give Foundation is a permanently endowed fund. It awards grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Hudson Valley and supports scholarships for students pursuing careers in the automotive industry. Keeping charitable dollars in the Hudson Valley remains the foundation’s stated mission.
The new gift adds to other ways local organizations direct resources toward community needs. Red X Magazine has covered the Girls Match Fund, which supports charities serving women and girls, and community pharmacies in Cuba, which distribute donated medicines. Its coverage of the AngelNV investment bootcamp also follows a separate effort to support Nevada founders.
The Healey Brothers event’s stated next step is the distribution of funds toward approximately 11 local wishes. The foundation also provides grants to Hudson Valley nonprofits and scholarships for automotive students.
The source report details the fundraising total, the event and the organizations’ statements about how the donation will support families.