The 57th Annual Silver Gull Awards Dinner was held on May 5 at Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club in Farmingdale.

FARMINGDALE, NJ – It was the moment that captured the room. Senator Bob Singer, Committee Chair of the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council (MODC) was about to invite Joe Stroffolino, Director of Advertising and Marketing for Causeway Family of Dealerships and Causeway CARes, to step up to the podium to receive the MODC’s 2022 Community Service Award, when he recalled a story that will stay with all of us forever.

Singer continued to say there was once an oversight with the Department of Agriculture and local schools in Ocean County that would lead to a break in food service in mid-summer. This meant there was going to be several weeks where children would not have their main meal of the day. The story received some local press, and that’s when David C. Wintrode, President of Causeway Family of Dealerships, called Singer to learn more about the situation. In response, Wintrode said, “No child should go hungry in our county. You tell them I will pay for the meals.”

“He didn’t ask how much,” said Singer. “He didn’t ask how many children. That’s a special kind of person. It is our honor to honor his family, foundation and dealerships for making that commitment to Ocean County and the State of New Jersey.”

Stroffolino graciously accepted the esteemed Community Service Award at the MODC’s 57th Annual Silver Gull Awards Dinner on May 5 at Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club in Farmingdale. The event recognized business and community leaders in the bi-county area.

In his acceptance speech, Stroffolino thanked the MODC, as well as Causeway Family of Dealerships, Causeway CARes, The Wintrode Family Foundation, and President and Founder Dave Wintrode. He also expressed his appreciation to Mary Jo Buchannon, Executive Director of Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC), for the nomination. Stroffolino then took a moment to recognize the Causeway CARes initiative.

“Founded in 2004 and funded by the Wintrode Family Foundation, Inc., Causeway CARes’ mission is to make a direct and profound impact in and around Ocean County in the areas of education, food security and quality of life,” he said. “To fulfill this mission, Causeway CARes gives back to the community by offering time and resources, as well as financial donations and scholarship opportunities; facilitating event sponsorships; encouraging volunteerism and social responsibility and organizing vehicle giveaways for its nonprofit and community partners through the ‘CauseWheels Vehicle Donation Program’.”

To learn more about Causeway CARes, please visit CausewayCARes.com or email Joe.Stroffolino@CausewayCars.com.

About Causeway CARes
Causeway CARes’ mission is to make a direct and profound impact in and around Ocean County in the areas of education, food security and quality of life. Founded in 2004 and funded by the Wintrode Family Foundation, Inc., Causeway CARes strives to make the community a better place to live grow and thrive. To learn more, visit CausewayCARes.com.