Contributed Photo
Pictured left to right are: Robert and Loretta Lesko of Shelton, John Esposito of Middlebury, John Schaible of Milford and Shaye Roscoe of Shelton, Executive Director, both affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley; Julie Coyle Davis of Stratford, Advancement Director, Notre Dame High School; John DiMatteo of Bethany, Allison Wysota of Milford, founder and Executive Director of Adam’s House; Rosemarie Esposito of Shelton, and Arlene Greco of Naugatuck, Adam’s House.
SHELTON — Now more than ever, local charities need additional financial support to help provide critical services to the community. The DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation has once again stepped up to the challenge with a $30,000 donation to three vital nonprofits that help children and teenagers.
Funded primarily from the proceeds of the DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament, the Foundation has donated $460,000 to nearly 20 charities over the past 16 years.
This year nearly 100 golfers enjoyed playing the private course at Brownson Country Club in Shelton. This recent tournament raised $30,000 for The DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation. Each of these charities received a $10,000 donation: the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley and Adam’s House, both located in Shelton, and the Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund.
The Foundation was established by the DiMatteo Family as a tribute to Anthony “Tony” DiMatteo, company founder and their late father, who was battling cancer at the time.
For the past 61 years, the DiMatteo family and its family of businesses have been committed to giving back to the community. Currently, DiMatteo Group includes two divisions in Shelton: DiMatteo Group Financial Services and DiMatteo Group Tax and Accounting.
“Our 16th Annual Golf Tournament received great support from the community as well as from our generous sponsors,” said John DiMatteo of Bethany. “Thank you to all the golfers who contributed to three great causes that will make a difference in the lives of thousands of children and teenagers in the region.”
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley is to provide, in a safe environment, programs that inspire, educate, guide, and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.
Likewise, the mission of The Adam Wysota Foundation is to offer grief education and peer support in a home-like setting called Adam’s House. In this safe, healing environment, children and their families participate in an 8-week grief class. Participants draw support from their peers and gain new strategies for dealing with their loss.
The Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund was established in 2020 in honor of Anthony DiMatteo. He helped start the Notre Dame Catholic High School football program in Fairfield with Lou Saccone in 1958 through 1965 as offense and defensive line coach. This scholarship is awarded to a deserving student athlete who otherwise would not be able to attend college.
Sixteen area companies and business associates of DiMatteo Group were golf sponsors. The top platinum sponsor was ACBI Insurance. At the gold level, contributors included: DiMatteo Group Financial Services, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MEGIN, and Preferred Tool & Die.
Silver sponsors lending their support were: Beta Squared Lithography, Burns Construction, Commonwealth Cares, DiMatteo Group Tax & Accounting, Lesko Family Foundation, The Hartford, Viglione Heating & Cooling, Inc., United PRS, Total Mortgage, Acadia, BH Burke & Company, Inc., and DD Insurance.
A&A Windshields in Shelton was the in-kind sponsor for the Break the Windshield Contest.
A committee of 14 volunteers planned this successful annual golf tournament. The following volunteers deserve recognition: Shelton residents Jill Bruno, Rosemarie Esposito, Loretta Lesko, Rose Grzybala, Karen Minopoli, Barbara Gelozin, and Jenine Motasky; Bethany residents Kim DiMatteo, Jessica DiMatteo, and Michael DiMatteo; Arlene Greco of Naugatuck, Nicole Kelley of Wallingford, Natalie Kaszei of Milford, and Lisa Brand of Trumbull.
“The mission of our Family Foundation in conjunction with our Golf Tournament is to provide funding to organizations who are dedicated to research, education and finding a cure for diseases that have touched the lives of our friends, families, clients and staff,” noted Rosemarie Esposito of Shelton. “In recent years we have expanded our scope to include the needs of those in our community.”
The golf tournament has previously supported nearly 20 local and national nonprofits: Alliance for Prevention and Wellness, Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital, BHcare, Valley Angels for Families, Project Purple, National Kidney Foundation, the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services, The Kennedy Center, St. Vincent’s Special Needs Services, St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound, Juvenile Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, Spooner House, Homes for the Brave Female Soldiers/Forgotten Heroes, the Young Survival Coalition, the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, MovingWithHOPE and the Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund.
Visit http://www.dimatteofamilyfoundation.com/ for more information.
