CHARLES LAFITTE FOUNDATION HOSTS 10TH ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC

The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) will host its 10th Annual Charity Golf Classic on Tuesday, June 25 at the exclusive Due Process Stable in Colts Neck, NJ.  

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS), a non-profit organization based in Freehold and founded in 2005 by two fathers, Scott Fritz and Don Quigley, who lost their teenage children to suicide.

            “Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for teens in this country, but it is preventable. With persistence and support from organizations working towards a brighter future for our youth, we are helping the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide reach more parents, educators and teens with suicide prevention programming,” said Jeffrey Citron, co-founder of The Charles Lafitte Foundation. “Change is imminent when members of a community come together to share in a common goal.”

Suzanne and Jeffrey Citron, CLF founders, will match each donation from the golf outing, dollar for dollar. Last year’s event raised more than $550,000 for Comfort Zone Camp. Over the past 10 years, the Charity Golf Classic has raised more than $4 million to improve the lives of countless individuals.        

SPTS is dedicated to reducing the number of youth suicides and attempted suicides through public awareness and the introduction of educational training programs for parents, educators and teens across the United States. SPTS has trained more than 40,000 teachers to date. In fact, SPTS had legislation passed in New Jersey in 2007 requiring all educators to complete at least two hours of instruction in suicide prevention – making it the first state in the country to require such training. Since then, 14 states have passed similar laws. 

“Expanding our reach to so many states reflects both the quality of the programs and their relevance to the real worlds of youth, families and schools struggling with the challenges of suicide prevention – but there is more work to be done. The generous support from the Charles Lafitte Foundation will help us continue to grow and implement various initiatives. Being the beneficiary of this year’s golf outing will take SPTS to a whole new level, allowing us to provide more people with our best practice and evidence-based programming to help reduce the number of suicides and attempted suicides around the country,” said Scott Fritz, SPTS president.

Proceeds raised will give SPTS the resources necessary to build a lasting foundation, develop additional suicide prevention programs and materials, and expand its reach with educational training and public awareness programs.

Donations of any amount are welcome and will be matched by CLF. For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, ticket and donation information, visit www.charleslafitte.org/events/register or contact Jennifer Vertetis, Executive Director at info@charleslafitte.org.

The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) supports innovative and effective ways of helping people help themselves and others around them to achieve healthy, satisfying and enriched lives. The Foundation supports organizations working in four main areas: education, children’s advocacy, medical research & issues, and the arts. The Foundation underwrites programs that can become self-sustaining with long-term commitment and measurable impact.  In determining grants, CLF looks for solutions that lead to independence and self-empowerment for individuals, and to the establishment of effective, long-standing programs and organizations. For more information about the Charles Lafitte Foundation visit www.charleslafitte.org.

About Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the number of youth suicides and attempted suicides by encouraging overall public awareness through the development and promotion of educational training programs for teens, parents and educators. SPTS believes in evidence-based suicide prevention strategies and is dedicated to removing public stigma about suicide. For more information about the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, visit www.sptsusa.org.