Trailer Bridge, Inc., a global transportation provider headquartered in Jacksonville, announced its inaugural Rally for Kate Charity Golf Tournament raised more than $100,000 for the Kate Amato Foundation supporting the organization’s efforts to find safer, smarter and more effective treatments for children with cancer.
The Kate Amato Foundation will use the gift to fund innovative pediatric cancer research at leading facilities across the country to accelerate the pace of progress and save young lives. Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children and only 4% of the total federal research funding is designated for all childhood cancers.
“Today, we as local leaders put aside the stress of our businesses to support a cause that will impact the health and vitality of future generations,” said Trailer Bridge CEO Mitch Luciano. “Now more than ever community organizations like the Kate Amato Foundation need our support as they — like all of us — face the headwinds of our current economic conditions. As a father to five, the work Lisa and Jeff are doing through the foundation in their daughter’s memory is inspiring and I know the funds raised today will make a difference.”
Founded in 1991, Trailer Bridge has been a staple in Jacksonville’s transportation industry for more than 30 years, known locally for its weekly barge service to Puerto Rico from JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal. The company covers all expenses related to the Rally for Kate tournament allowing 100% of the sponsorship dollars to go directly to the Kate Amato Foundation. The sold-out event welcomed more than 80 golfers, most from Northeast Florida’s transportation and logistics industry, to Ponte Vedra Inn and Club for the tournament.
“We are so grateful for the love and support shown by Trailer Bridge and its partners to help meet our mission,” said Lisa Amato, Kate’s mom and executive director of the Kate Amato Foundation along with Jeff Amato, Kate’s dad. “It is only because philanthropic companies and individuals have stepped up in our community that we can affect the lives of children worldwide with groundbreaking pediatric cancer research. We may be small, but our vision is big, and it is extreme acts of kindness like this that will help us get there.”
Rally for Kate is the second charity golf tournament hosted by Trailer Bridge. The Rally brand was first established in 2019 to support the people of Puerto Rico with the Rally for Puerto Rico tournament following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The Rally for Puerto Rico tournament has raised more than $300,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico since its inception with the next tournament happening at the end of April.
Trailer Bridge has been serving Puerto Rico with consistent weekly barge service since 1991 and signed long-term lease agreements with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and the Jacksonville Port Authority within the past two years anchoring its commitment to the island for more than 20 years.
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children. For those who survive, the side effects of treatment can cause severe long-term health problems. To honor Kate’s life and continue the fight for other children, Kate Amato Foundation is dedicated to finding safer, smarter and more effective treatments for children with cancer. Their vision is to fund innovative pediatric cancer research that accelerates the pace of progress and saves young lives.
To learn more, go to KateAmatoFoundation.org.
