Thursday, July 30, 2009

On the Waterfront: A Golf Course and Local Charities

Patrick Villanova, "PGA elite coming to Jersey City golf course," Jersey Journal (July 21, 2009):
"It has meaning because the golfers are going to be competing for (the FedEx Cup)," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, who was in attendance at a press conference at Liberty National yesterday. "The greatest golfers on Earth are coming to what I consider to be the greatest golfing venue on Earth, which is this golf course."

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Like the course it will be played on, the event itself is unique, for its strong connection with charities in the area. As a part of the PGA Tour's "Tickets Fore Charity," the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey is selling tickets to The Barclays, for which it will receive 75 percent of the proceeds from those sales.

"Hundreds of charities will be touched by this event and we're very very proud of that," said Pillsbury. "Over a million dollars will be left in this community to local charities." "It certainly has great rewards for our city. Not only the economic impact with the hotel, the restaurants, small businesses, but millions of dollars will be left behind for Jersey City's churches, charitable institutions and public service non-profits," Healy said. "We're looking forward with tremendous hope and optimism to Aug. 25 through 30."

Byline: "Dan Fireman/For The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation"; Title of Article: "Jersey City organizations honored by The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation," Star-Ledger (Nov. 12, 2008):
An event this week at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City with Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy celebrated The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation's announcement of $500,000 in grants to support local not-for-profit organizations.

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"Our Foundation's core values support helping people help themselves and the grants are just one way we give back to a community that has welcomed us and the development of Liberty National," said Paul Fireman. "I am very pleased to be providing these outstanding organizations with financial means to help them improve the quality of life of Jersey City's residents."

The organizations and programs receiving support are:

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-- Jerramiah T. Healy Charitable Foundation - An independent, non-profit organization committed to providing aid and assistance for the betterment of Jersey City families, individuals, or organizations of limited financial means.

The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation is based in Boston and owned and operated by the family. The foundation was created by former Reebok International CEO and co-founder of Liberty National in Jersey City, Paul Fireman, and his wife Phyllis.

Michaelangelo Conte, "Exclusive Jersey City golf club gives big to local Hudson County groups," Jersey Journal (Nov. 12, 2008):
Membership at Jersey City's exclusive Liberty National Golf Club is said to be sky high, but so is the half a million dollars the club's owners doled out to worthwhile Hudson County organizations today.

"In many ways we feel as much part of this community as our home community in Massachusetts and as a result of that, we are setting a standard," said Dan Fireman, whose parents established the Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation.

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Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy also attended yesterday's event and his foundation, the Jerramiah T. Healy Charitable Foundation, walked away with grants of $25,000 to $100,000.

"We have a lot of opportunity here, a lot of talent, but we need a lot of help to make sure that talent is nurtured and moves forward," Healy said.

The $129 million golf club opened in 2006 and its members include former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani, as well as New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Hoboken's Applied Development is also building 1,000 residential units as part of the development.

Ken Thorbourne, Journal Staff Writer, "Healy sets up foundation to help needy," Jersey City List (Nov. 2, 2006):
He's mayor of Jersey City, but believes government has its limitations. He also believes charity begins at home.

With these principles in mind, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has launched "The Jerramiah T. Healy Charitable Foundation for a Better Jersey City," a tax-exempt non-profit, whose mission is to help needy individuals and causes within the city limits.

Incorporated over a year ago, the foundation received its official tax-exempt status in September. Its biggest fund-raiser to date took place Monday: a golf tournament at the posh Liberty National Golf Course organized by Paul and Dan Fireman, the golf club owners, and Connell Foley, the go-to law firm for developers in Jersey City.

The admission price for single golfers was $2,000 per person, and foursomes could play for $7,500, according to the organizers.

"It's simply to help people in need and causes in need inside Jersey City," Healy said last week of the nonprofit. "There are also a bunch of donors out there who would like to contribute to help good causes in the city. It has nothing to do with any political purposes." The concept isn't new to Jersey City mayors. Bret Schundler established one, as did the late Glenn D. Cunningham.

According to documents provided by James Carroll, a Jersey City police sergeant who doubles as the Healy foundation's attorney, the charity collected $31,080 and doled out $8,398.21. This year, the nonprofit took in $200,000, gave out $127,500, and spent $65,000 on fundraising expenses, and $7,500 on professional fees - leaving $22,682 cash on hand, according to the documents. A list of donors and recipients wasn't provided.

The tax-exempt benefit of donating to Healy's nonprofit is retroactive to July 2005, when it was incorporated, an IRS spokesman said. The foundation's board has 13 members, including Maureen Healy, Healy's wife; Maria Pignataro, the mayor's press secretary; and Joseph Kealy, the attorney for the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency.

James Morley, chair of the redevelopment agency and a member of the Jersey City Library Board, is the foundation's president.

Michael Ryan, the owner of the PJ Ryan's bar and restaurant on Marin Boulevard, also sits on the board, and his establishment, according to the incorporation papers, is the foundation's official meeting place.

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