Page 61 - BusinessWest February 19, 2024

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Kadushin
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course on tournament day.
Planning for next year’s tournament
begins almost immediately after
the current year’s edition ends, said Fred, adding that the goal is to keep overhead as low as possible (in this case, almost zero) to funnel as much of the money raised to nonprofits as possible.
The event has grown over the years, at least in terms of the auction and the number of supporting corporate sponsors. (As veteran golf-tournament organizers, they understand the importance of limiting the number of golfers on the
course, thus helping to ensure that
a good time is had and foursomes come back the next year.)
And its importance has grown as well, said the Kadushins, agreeing with Bianca that, regrettably, the need has only increased in the years since that NPR report.
They view their efforts as an investment in young people and an investment in the future of this region, and the country.
“The payoffs are so high,” Fred said. “Proper nutrition affects physical, cognitive, and emotional development. If you think about
it, nutrition affects everything. If you improve concentration, you can improve school performance, and when kids eat properly, they’re more likely to graduate, and the downstream implications of that are huge in terms of improving lives and ensuring that people become productive members of society.
“You decrease things like obesity and improve immunity,” he went on. “So downstream, you’re improving kids’ health, so there will be less drag on the healthcare system.”
Mary Kay agreed. “Our passion
is with kids because it’s hard to imagine a child going to bed hungry, and that’s generally through no fault of their own,” she said. “Our heart goes out to that.”
While they’re proud of what
they do, the Kadushins, as might
be expected given the testimonials above, say the real work being done to combat food insecurity among young people is at the nonprofits addressing the problem and by those on the front lines, many of them volunteers.
“These volunteers are amazing; they pack the food, they get it distributed, and they identify who needs the food,” Mary Kay said, adding that she, Fred, and other members of the golf-tournament team will be joining those in Holyoke to stuff backpacks later this month. “It’s pretty amazing, these people who actually do this work.”
Equally amazing is the devotion
that Fred and Mary Kay bring to the efforts to help these agencies and volunteers carry out their missions.
Their work is done mostly behind the scenes, organizing the golf outing, signing up sponsors, and attending
to the smallest of details. Their
stated goal is to press on, grow their venture, hopefully add a title sponsor, and, ultimately, help local agencies help more people in need.
What else would you expect from a
couple that puts small surprises in the pockets of winter coats earmarked for children in need? What else would you expect from a couple that didn’t just listen to a news story on childhood hunger, but committed themselves to doing something about those alarming statistics?
What else would you expect from two genuine Difference Makers? DW
“Proper nutrition affects physical, cognitive, and emotional development. If you think about it, nutrition affects everything.”
United Way of Pioneer Valley congratulates the 2024 Difference Makers Award winners
Make a difference through volunteerism with United Way of Pioneer Valley’s VolunteerConnect initiative and Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council
Dora D. Robinson
BusinessWest
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