Children’s charities to get $4.55M from Honda Classic — a 25% jump
PALM BEACH GARDENS — The Honda Classic continues to break records, announcing Monday it will award $4.55 million to South Florida children’s charities this year.
Nearly four months after welcoming a record-setting 224,642 spectators at this year’s tournament — won in a playoff by Justin Thomas — the PGA Tour event raised the bar again in its support of local children and their families.
This year marks the 12th consecutive year that The Honda Classic has increased its impact in Palm Beach County through its charity efforts.
More than 50,000 children who are affiliated with 137 charitable organizations are expected to benefit from the proceeds of the Honda Classic Cares initiative.
Children’s Healthcare Charity, Inc., the host organization of The Honda Classic, will make the distributions during a weeklong series of Honda Classic Cares site visits that began Tuesday.
That includes the annual Celebration of Philanthropy, which will be Thursday.
The $4.55 million awarded this year is $920,000 more — or 25 percent — than the $3.63 million that was distributed in 2017. That money includes a third consecutive individual grant of $1 million to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
“It’s a great week for us,” Honda Classic Tournament Director Andrew George said. “It’s a testament to the community, to all the patrons that come to support us, the media, the sponsors, and our staff.
“All the long hours that we put in, in February, culminate today and this week as we learn a little bit more about the organizations that we support.”
One of the initiatives aided by The Honda Classic’s charity disbursements this year include helping preschool children involved with The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County and Grandma’s Place enter kindergarten with essential school readiness skills.
Others help create opportunities for children fighting cancer to meet other young cancer patients through the Pediatric Oncology Support Team, and teach life skills through music through Young Singers of the Palm Beaches.
The Honda Classic also has teamed with Tommy Morrissey’s UnLIMBited Foundation to provide financial assistance to children who need limb-correction surgery, and has helped introduce golf to children through the First Tee of the Palm Beaches.
“We continue to raise the bar and challenge the imagination on the impact we can make on the Palm Beach County community,” Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth Kennerly said.
The Honda Classic has given close to $40 million to South Florida children’s charities since its inception 37 years ago.
The 2019 Honda Classic will be played Feb. 25-March 3, 2019, at PGA National Resort and Spa.