37th Annual Golf Classic, Presented by Mutual of America Financial Group, Grosses Record-Breaking $100,000 to Support Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund

Golfers, sponsors, and volunteers took part in Wheeler’s 37th Annual Golf Classic, presented by Mutual of America Financial Group, on September 14 at The Country Club of Farmington, and the event grossed an unprecedented $100,000 to support individuals and families in care through Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund.

The total amount raised through this event is more than $1.3 million since its inception in 1986.

“We’re so humbled by the overwhelming support of our event sponsors, donors, players, and volunteers, without whom we could not meet the most basic needs of the individuals and families we serve,” said Sabrina Trocchi, PhD, MPA, president and chief executive officer, Wheeler. “During the height of the pandemic and beyond, our supporters—many of whom participated in the Golf Classic earlier this week—stood firmly by us, which allowed us to respond to unmet need.

“As economic challenges persist, we must continue to support our most vulnerable populations with items such as food, clothing, transportation, linkage to services, and by addressing other factors that interfere with our patients’ health and well-being,” Trocchi added.

Wheeler’s 37th Annual Golf Classic was made possible by many organizations, including Presenting/Title Sponsor, Mutual of America Financial Group; Platinum Dinner Sponsor, M&T Bank; Platinum Logo Sponsor, The Manafort Family Foundation; Golf Cart Sponsor, Genoa Healthcare®; Lunch Sponsor, Access Health CT Small Business; Beverage Cart Sponsor, GO, and Golf Ball Sponsor, Tecton Architects. Additionally, the event was supported by members of the 2022 Champion’s Circle: Barnes™, Brown & Brown, Inc., Karl Krapek, Linde, Mott Corporation, Quest Diagnostics, and Laurie and Bill Torres. Mitchell Auto Group was the event Hole in One Sponsor. Numerous additional sponsors also provided support. A full list can be found here.

Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund

Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund addresses a range of environmental and social factors that interfere with a patient’s health and well-being, but which are not addressed by other means of funding. This fund allows the organization’s community health workers to address environmental conditions in homes, neighborhoods, and communities of Family Health & Wellness Center patients, which might lead to poor health outcomes. It also provides resources to address basic needs such as food, transportation, clothing, shelter, medications, or other items or activities that cannot be accessed through a patient's own resources and/or community-based programs.

Since 2018, the Basic Needs Fund has supported more than 5,500 patients and families with immediate, responsive help to meet basic needs. 

Wheeler’s Annual Golf Classic

The Wheeler Annual Golf Classic was founded by a group of business leaders and top companies in 1986 to raise money for behavioral health and community-based services for children and adolescents. Some of the original supporters remain involved today, including McPhee Electric and Tollman Spring Company.

Proceeds from past Golf Classic events have helped Wheeler address emergent community needs such as ensuring access to integrated primary and behavioral health services in underserved communities, child abuse prevention, and providing a state-of-the-art learning environment for students with emotional and behavioral challenges.