JAR of Hope Philanthropy to Host Record-Breaking Event on Aug. 23rd in Manalapan, NJ

Aug. 12, 2015 - PRLog -- Professional athletes, entertainers and distinguished dignitaries will join forces with an entire community on Sunday, August 23^rd, uniting together with JAR of Hope in an effort to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The event, entitled Strength in Numbers, will take place at the Manalapan Recreational Center, located at 120 County Road 522 in Manalapan, New Jersey.

The festivities are open to the public and will get underway at 10:00 AM, highlighted by JAR of Hope looking to break the world record for the most people ever doing push-ups at the same time during the event. All attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from the professional athletes, who will be speaking about various topics such as recruiting, training and fundamentals. The two title sponsors for Strength in Numbers are Frogbridge Day Camp in Millstone and Pazzo Restaurant in Red Bank.

“The support for this event has been overwhelming,” said James Raffone, Founder of JAR of Hope. “This is my son, so I am the only one who really has to do anything. The support that the community has given – along with GoForThe2, 25ive Sports, Pre-Postgame and Resolution Sports – is just so incredible. I truly cannot put into words how touching it is to see so many people unite in the battle to find a cure for this devastating disease.”

Started by Raffone in 2013 after a diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy with his son, Jamesy, JAR of Hope was created to find a cure for the muscle wasting disease that has roughly 300,000 worldwide cases. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy aggressively attacks the human muscular system, and JAR of Hope has a dedicated mission to provide funding for medical needs and outside the box treatment methods.

One of the key ways that JAR of Hope seeks funds for its mission is through Push-Ups for Dollars, a nationwide cause that sees supporters do 10 push-ups for a $10 contribution to the foundation. The Push-Ups for Dollars initiative will be the backbone of the event on August 23^rd, where JAR of Hope is looking to break the world record for the most people ever doing push-ups at the same time.

Among the scheduled participants for the August 23^rd fundraiser are two-time Super Bowl winner Mark Collins; current and former NFL players such as Morlon Greenwood, “Jersey” Joe Martinek, Corey Allen, JR Cobbs and Devin Aromashodu; Arena Football League veterans Peter Ohnegian, Robert T. Green and Jason Jones; former Penn State captain and professional speaker Lee Rubin; and Reggie Young, former Akron standout and CEO of Dri-Towel. Additionally, singer-songwriter Marvin Moore will kick off the event by singing the National Anthem.

“I am ready and willing to join the fight with JAR of Hope to find a cure for little Jamesy and others who have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy,” said Mark Collins, who won two Super Bowls as a member of the New York Giants.

Throughout the day, raffles will be occurring to raise additional funds for JAR of Hope. Among those businesses who have contributed a raffle prize are Sinful Tans in Marlboro, Utopia Salon in Freehold, Nicole Genna Cosmetology in Monroe, State Farm agent Russ Armine, Bobby’s Burger Palace in Freehold, Dri-Towel, It Works Body Wraps, Financial Integrity of Staten Island, IDLife agent Carrie Danks, Jersey Joe Apparel and Good Energy Training in Allendale.

Additional opportunities are available for businesses that are interesting in contributing raffle prizes or sponsoring the event as a whole. For more information on getting your business involved, contact national college football radio host and event emcee Joe Lisi (GoForThe2) at jal@goforthe2.com.

"In sports, fans and enthusiasts expect players to overcome adversity to become great in their respective field,” Lisi remarked. “I challenge the same for the medical community. Status quo is not good enough when it comes to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  To date, there are no treatment alternatives to fight this disease affecting young boys. It has been going on for 155 years, and the medical community must do more in trying to find a cure. That is what the public expects from professional athletes, to work hard to overcome the odds. The same methodology holds true for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. That is what separates the good from the great."

Anyone wishing to contribute prior to the event can do so via Crowd Rise (https://www.crowdrise.com/23august/fundraiser/jamesraffone1). For more information on JAR of Hope, visit the foundation online at http://jarofhope.org.