Mission Statement
CAREing for Children is a 501©(3) organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children in need and their families. One hundred percent of donations are used locally and brighten the lives of those most vulnerable in our community.
CAREing for Children was launched in the late 1980s when members of the Ocean County Business Association started collecting toys at their annual holiday party to distribute to local children. Seeing the need to be great—and wanting to give back to their community—OCBA members continued the tradition year after year.
Eventually, food donations were added to the mix and—along with toys, school supplies, clothing, and more—distributed to dozens of area families and charities each December. The heart, soul, and “elbow grease” behind CAREing for Children (CFC) was longtime OCBA member and owner of The Creative Basket and Devil Brownies, the late Clare Bojus. She and her team worked tirelessly throughout the year to purchase, organize, and distribute palettes of goods around the holidays.
As demand grew, so did the need for fundraising, and it wasn’t long before CAREing for Children started holding charity events. Our signature fundraiser is the annual Marty Aronow Memorial Golf Outing, named in memory of a beloved OCBA past president who helped grow CFC. OCBA member and owner of SERVPRO Toms River/Point Pleasant Michael Reilly chaired the golf outing for several years, turning it into a fun and highly successful event. Under his inspiring leadership, we secured amazing sponsors, attracted the maximum number of players, recruited many volunteers, and created a feel-good day that everyone enjoyed.
As we prepared for the 2020 golf outing, we—along with the entire world—were shut down due to Covid. This hurt us hard, as the event brings in 90 percent of our donations. Not only did it steal our opportunity to help, but, tragically, it took Mike as well. CFC lost a driving force, and we lost a friend. During the pandemic, Clare and her team did everything they could to collect food and distribute food boxes to families over the holidays. As the Covid crisis began to wane, we were excited to get back in the saddle and resume our work with CAREing for Children. But tragedy struck again when Clare suddenly passed away in February 2022.
It has taken us some time to recover from two unspeakable losses. But we are ready and determined to move forward and continue the legacy that Clare and Mike started. As prices soar and it becomes harder and harder for families to make ends meet, we want to provide comfort by allowing struggling parents to breathe a little easier knowing that we are here to help. That said, we’re excited to hold our annual golf outing in October of 2023. Please come out and golf with us, sponsor a tee, or maybe donate a prize for our raffle. You’ll have a great time while helping your neighbors in need.