Tri-County Scholarship Fund’s annual awards celebration raises $2.5M in scholarships

MENDHAM  Tri-County Scholarship Fund raised a record-breaking $2.25 million in scholarship funds through its 40th annual awards celebration Oct. 25, a virtual event, livestreamed to more than 900 guests, friends, and supporters. Fulfilling the mission of Tri-County, the scholarships will go to financially disadvantaged k–12 grade students in Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties so they can obtain quality, values-based educations at accredited Catholic and private elementary and secondary schools. This year was a milestone 40th anniversary for the nonprofit, celebrating the 34,000 life-changing scholarships awarded since 1981.

Tri-­County co-­founder and re­tired CEO of Allied Signal, Edward L. Hennessy Jr., said at the event, “This is one of the most im­portant things I have done with my life.” Hennessy co-founded Tri-County with the late Bishop Frank J. Rodimer.

This year’s virtual gala honored three distinguished members of the community. The Hall of Fame Award was presented to longtime Tri-County Scholarship supporter and board member Thomas J. Healey, Tri-County trustee emeritus and former Hall of Fame honoree, currently partner of Healey Development, retired partner Goldman Sachs, and former assistant Secretary for Domestic Finance of the U.S. Treasury. The Hall of Fame Award was also presented to Navneet and Reema Puri of the pharmaceutical firm, Nevakar. Navneet is Nevakar founder and CEO. Reema is senior vice president of human resources. The Puris were recognized for their continuing contributions to educational opportunity for financially needy students in high school and beyond. The Making a Difference Award was presented to the Margaret A. Darrin Charita­ble Trust, represented by co-trustee, Michael Hanifin. The award recognizes significant contributions to the Tri-County mission.

“We were thrilled to recognize three such distinguished honorees for Tri-County’s 40th anniversary celebration,” said Prudence Pigott, president of Tri-County Scholarship Fund. “All three honorees have been important supporters of the Tri-County cause. Because of their leadership and generosity the event was hugely successful, raising the funds for 800 scholarship children to attend safe quality schools next school year.“

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney offered the evening’s invocation. The featured student speaker was Tri-County scholarship recipient Zorya Morgan, Paterson resident and senior class president at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon. After her speech, Zorya was presented with the Bishop Sweeney Student Speaker Scholarship, an additional $500, on top of the Tri-County scholarship that she already receives.

The online event began with a “Red Carpet Pre-Show” featuring current Tri-County Scholarship recipients: Christopher Chasia senior at DePaul Catholic High School; and Paramus Catholic High School Tri-County recipients, Adrian Montoya, a junior, and Emily Salgado, senior.

Buddy Valastro of Carlo’s Bakery and Cake Boss fame, made an appearance, congratulating Tri-County and the students, and presented a special Tri-County 40th birthday cake that was enjoyed by the students at St. Gerard School in Paterson. Dozens of other Tri-County scholarship recipients from Academy of St. James in Totowa and Holy Spirit School in Pequannock were also featured. A student choir from DePaul Catholic performed the song “Firework.” Numerous Tri-County alumni presented their thanks and stories of success in college and careers. The event also celebrated the 53 Tri-County partner schools that all remained opened during the pandemic, practicing health protocols, and enabling their students to stay on track with their studies.

Remarked honoree Steve Goulart, “The work of Tri-County Scholarship Fund is meaningful, impactful, and consequential. Supporting educational opportunity addresses the societal problem of poverty while cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. I am proud to support this great cause.”

The Puris reflected on the reasons they support Tri-County. “The parents want to instill in their children the same values of hard work and social responsibility that our parents instilled in us. A quality education is the foundation of a purposeful life.”

For the current 2021–22 school year, Tri-County Scholarship Fund has awarded 750 scholarships for financially disadvantaged k– 12 students to attend 53 different partner schools. This included extending emergency scholarships for 200 students whose families continue to be hard hit by the pandemic.

Over the past 40 years, $35 million have been raised by the organization to fund more than 34,000 scholarships for needy children in Passaic, Morris, and Sussex counties. Scholarship recipients have gone on to the top colleges throughout the country with Tri-County graduates currently attending Notre Dame, Georgetown, Rutgers, Seton Hall University, Colgate, Cornell, and Penn State, to name a few.