OUR HISTORY

Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc. (CFK) is an independent non-profit organization that was established in December of 1997. Working under the 501 (c)(3) IRS tax exempt status of the Martin Memorial Foundation between 1997 to 2001, CFK set out on their mission to make a difference in the lives of children affected by cancer. Due to its dedication and success, Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc. was granted their own 501 (c)(3) ruling as a publicly supported organization under the Internal Revenue Code in May of 2001. That same year, the organization was given a Certificate of Good Standing from the State of Florida along with a State of Florida Sales Tax Exemption.

With their own independent credentials, Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc. established their first partnership in 2001 with the Pediatric Oncology Support Team (POST) located on the St. Mary’s Hospital Campus in West Palm Beach. This partnership was established to help the Treasure Coast children that do not have pediatric oncology on the Treasure Coast. Due to their tremendous cooperative success, the organization approved their second partnership with the Robert & Carol Weissman Cancer Center in June of 2005 in conjunction with the Martin Memorial Foundation. Together they created the Social Work Fund designed to support adults fighting cancer while caring for children 18 years of age and younger. This program is still in existence today and has provided endless support to its patients. Unexpectedly in 2012, CFK lost their beloved co-host of their annual golf classic, Gary Carter. Subsequently, they established the Gary Carter Fund in order to support children with the same type of brain cancer that took his life. Finally in March of 2014, the board of directors revised the current corporate by-laws to include life-threatening illnesses, which led to their third partnership with the Little Treasures Program of Treasure Coast Hospice.

In 2015, we recognized the need to include pediatric care and the board once again revised the corporate by-laws to include life-altering conditions/illnesses which led to our fourth partnership with the Children’s Pediatric Services at Martin Health System.
Today, through these partnerships, Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc. offers financial assistance in a variety of forms. Some of these forms include transportation to and from treatment centers; non-covered medical and prescription expenses; rent or mortgage payments; auto payments and maintenance; gift cards for food, gas and clothing; daily living expenses such as phone, water and electric; rehabilitative needs; individual and/or family counseling; and holiday necessities. The funds for these various necessities have been raised through our annual golf classic fundraiser.

The Celebrities Fore Kids organization started with one fundraiser. The first annual golf classic in 1999 included local celebrities and netted $25,000 in support of our local children with cancer. In 2000, we recruited the retired baseball players from the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. (MLBPAA) and netted $35,000 and continued our mission to support local children with cancer. In 2001, we established the Larry Laoretti & Gary Carter Celebrities Fore Kids Golf Classic. This tournament over the years has been held at different locations from The Fox Club, Palm City; Martin Downs Country Club, Palm City; Hobe Sound Golf Club, Hobe Sound; The Medalist, Hobe Sound; The Bear’s Club, Jupiter; and Old Trail at Jonathan’s Landing in Jupiter.

Our mission is and has been to make a difference in the lives of children affected by cancer and other life-altering or life-threatening illnesses and/or conditions. Our goal is to improve the quality of life and well-being for them and their families by offering financial assistance for daily living expenses as well as emotional and social support to children and their families who otherwise could not obtain assistance elsewhere. During the past 20 years (1998-2018) we have helped more than 500 families through our various partnerships and raised over 3 million dollars to help our medically fragile children.

Revised 3/20