Spring Forward: A Feel-Good Playlist
As the days grow longer and the air turns a little lighter, we’re celebrating the season with a playlist designed to lift your mood and carry you through spring. Whether you’re starting your morning, taking a mid-day reset, or enjoying a sunny afternoon, these songs bring a mix of warmth, energy, and easygoing joy.
Listen here
At the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, we’re reminded every day of the strength, resilience, and community that carry people through difficult moments—and we hope these songs reflect a bit of that spirit.
UniCORN
April marks the second anniversary of the JAF Universal Community Oncology Resource Network (UniCORN). The platform was launched in 2024 by JAF to offer more resources for cancer patients across New England and the entire country.
As of this month, the resource directory lists over 100 oncology-based resources that address a variety of barriers to care. The directory has been accessed by over 11,400 people, which includes both patients and healthcare partners.
The directory features a wide range of resources, including co-pay assistance, household finance assistance, and self-care needs such as prosthetics and areola tattooing. This past year, the three top cancer types searched were breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and blood cancer.
The resource directory is always expanding, if you know of a resource that should be listed please reach out to Program Manager Kirstin Borczynski, at kirstin@joeandruzzifoundation.org. You can find UniCORN at JAFUniCORN.org.
Foursomes Now Available
Join us for an unforgettable day of golf, camaraderie, and giving back.
Golf Sponsorships, Foursomes & Twosomes
Sponsorship packages that include golf foursomes are currently available — this is a great way to maximize your company’s visibility while joining us on the course. Limited foursomes and twosomes are available!
Tee Signs
Make your support visible all day long:
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Traditional – display your company logo or name
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“In Honor of” or “In Celebration of” – honor a loved one, celebrate a graduating senior, or recognize Dad this Father’s Day
Dinner Tickets
If golf isn’t your thing, join us after play for cocktails, dinner, and a short program celebrating the families we serve.
For information about Foursomes & Twosomes, or questions about the day, please reach out to Michelle Mason at michelle@joeandruzzifoundation.org.
Boston Marathon Recap
On April 20, 2026, 23 determined athletes took to the streets as part of Team JAF in the 130th Boston Marathon® presented by Bank of America and we couldn’t be more proud!
Thanks to the dedication of our runners and the generosity of their supporters, Team JAF raised more than $373,000—and the number continues to grow. Every dollar directly helps ease the financial burdens that come with a cancer diagnosis—from housing and food costs to transportation and other unexpected expenses during treatment.
Read the full race-day recap and view photos from an unforgettable Boston Marathon on our blog.
Hometown Hop Over Tickets
We had so much fun last year, we’re doing it AGAIN!
Join us for our 3rd Annual “Hometown Hop Over” at Angle Tree Brewery in North Attleboro, MA, on Thursday, May 21!
Raise a glass with Co-Founders Jen and Joe Andruzzi and the entire JAF Team as we toast to 18 incredible years of support, impact, and community. Enjoy handcrafted brews, delicious food, and live music—all while making a difference for New England cancer patients and their families.
Be one of the first 30 ($50 Ticket) purchasers and receive a commemorative Well Told pint glass at check-in!
Your Ticket Includes:
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One (1) beverage token for an Angle Tree Beer or Seltzer (21+ tickets)
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Delicious light bites from local favorites
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Live music by Ben Picard!
Tickets
$50 Ticket (21+)
$15 Ticket (under 21)
Free (5 and under)
Come celebrate JAF’s 18th Birthday with us—because every year, every smile, and every helping hand makes a difference!
Buy your tickets today Click here! Or check out Sponsorship Opportunities Click Here!
401Gives Recap
Thank you, Rhode Island for showing up!
During this year’s 401Gives—powered by the United Way of Rhode Island—that spirit was on full display. From 6:00 PM on March 31 through 6:00 PM on April 1, 26 generous donors came together to raise $3,065.68 to support JAF’s programs in Rhode Island.
That generosity was boosted by a $2,000 401Gives Amplify Grant—made possible by our friends at the Lawson Charitable Foundation—bringing the total impact to just over $5,000.
Every dollar raised helps Rhode Islanders facing cancer stay in their homes, keep the lights on, and put food on the table during one of the most challenging times in their lives. It’s a powerful reminder that when cancer is present, our community doesn’t look away—we come together to lift one another up.
To everyone who gave, shared, and showed up—thank you for being part of that story.
Mansfield Dunks on Cancer
This month marked a strong milestone in the growth of Project 800, JAF’s student-driven fundraising program. On April 16, Jordan Jackson Elementary School in Mansfield, MA, hosted its annual Student vs. Staff basketball game.
The event, which included students in grades 3–5, brought the Mansfield community together around a shared goal: raising at least $800 to support a local family through a JAF Financial Assistance Grant.
The community far exceeded expectations, raising over $4,000. To learn more about the Project 800 Program and how to get your student or athlete involved through their classroom or team, please contact Hunter Andruzzi at hunter@joeandruzzifoundation.org.
Bridge Builders Spotlight
Bridge Builder Spotlight: Debra Gentile
Bridge Builder Since April 2025
In January 2018, Debra Gentile’s mother, Dorothy Petrarca (pictured above), shared the difficult news that she had been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. At the time, Dorothy was living on a fixed income and hoped to remain in the home she loved—surrounded by comfort, familiarity, and family.
Through a recommendation from her oncology nurse, Dorothy was connected to JAF. With JAF’s support, she received financial assistance during an incredibly challenging time, which helped ease some of the burdens she faced and allowed her to stay in her home.
Debra remembers the impact clearly.
“I can remember the joy and relief she felt when receiving their assistance,” she shared.
Today, Debra honors her mother’s memory as a Bridge Builder, ensuring that other families facing cancer can experience that same sense of relief and support.
“I have always felt so grateful for the generosity of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation,” Debra says. “I became a Bridge Builder so they can continue helping beautiful people like my mother.”
For Debra, giving monthly is deeply personal. It’s a way to give back to an organization that stood by her family—and to extend that compassion to others navigating similar challenges.
“It brings me comfort to know that through my donation, the Joe Andruzzi Foundation can help those families battling cancer.”
Through her ongoing support, Debra is helping build a bridge for others—one that carries hope, dignity, and care when it’s needed most.
Champion Circle Spotlight
Champions Circle brings together companies that are committed to helping neighbors, colleagues, and friends when they need it most.
Spotlight on Landmark Medical Center
Landmark Medical Center (LMC) is a true partner to JAF. Its support of JAF goes beyond Champions Circle; it extends to our annual special events and a golf tournament that LMC hosts in support of JAF!
Landmark Medical Center is more than just a community hospital. It takes great pride in patient care, not only in the treatment of specific illnesses, but in caring for the whole patient through a multidisciplinary approach. Its main facility in Woonsocket, RI, is a 214-bed, acute care hospital providing emergency, diagnostic, medical, surgical, cancer, cardiac, pain management, and obstetric care.
“As CEO of Landmark Medical Center, I am immensely proud of our partnership with the Joe Andruzzi Foundation. While our Cancer Center provides world-class clinical care, JAF provides the essential ‘hidden’ support that many patients need. Their generosity has directly eased the financial burdens of those in our community, allowing our patients to focus less on their bills and more on their healing,” said Mike Souza.
Thank you to Landmark Medical Center!
Patient Surprise and Delight
On April 16, JAF, alongside its corporate partners Stop & Shop and Poland Spring®, had the wonderful pleasure to host ten cancer patients and their loved ones for a “Surprise & Delight” like no other.
We gathered at Sturdy Health’s Cancer & Specialty Care Building in Attleboro for a special Food Security Program event that also celebrated Team JAF’s run in the Boston Marathon®. With the support of our generous corporate partners, each patient was awarded a $1,000 Stop & Shop gift card and one year of complimentary water delivered to their home by Poland Spring®.
Our thanks to Aimee Brewer, President and CEO of Sturdy Hospital, for hosting, and to representatives of Stop & Shop and Poland Spring® who spoke about why they partner with JAF. Also, thank you to special guests David Santoro and John Ponte, who ran the Boston Marathon for Team JAF and shared their personal reasons for why they run and why it matters.