$87,000 Donated to Create The Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund at Notre Dame Catholic High School

When the late Tony and Lena DiMatteo founded their family business in 1960, they wanted the next generation to carry on their original mission of giving back to the community. Sixty-five years later, the company founders would be proud of the legacy their four children, grandchildren and extended family have created.

In 2005, a formal foundation was established by the DiMatteo Family as a tribute to Anthony “Tony” DiMatteo, company founder and their late father, who was battling colon cancer at the time. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation in Shelton has contributed an impressive $759,000 to over 20 charities on the local and national levels.

One of the beneficiaries of their family's generosity was Notre Dame Catholic High School. "In 2020, our family foundation established The Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund in honor of my dad's passion for football,” said Rosemarie Esposito of Shelton, a Partner with DiMatteo Group Tax & Accounting in Shelton. "He helped start the Notre Dame Catholic High School football program with Lou Saccone in 1958 through 1965 as an offense and defensive line coach."

This annual scholarship is awarded to a deserving student athlete who otherwise would not be able to attend Notre Dame High School. Over the past five years, The DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation has contributed a total of $87,000 to The Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund. This endowment scholarship is now fully funded into posterity from the proceeds of their golf tournament and other direct donations.

Loretta Lesko of Shelton, a Partner with DiMatteo Group Tax & Accounting, added, “My father believed that the discipline required to be a good student and an athlete, were necessary to create a solid foundation for a successful future. Creating a scholarship in his memory for a candidate that embodies these characteristics made perfect sense.”

The late Tony DiMatteo graduated from Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport and played on coach Steve Miskas 1947 CT State Championship Football Team. He attended Louisiana State University on a football scholarship in 1949 and was drafted into the US Army in 1952 during the Korean conflict. He then completed his education at the University of Bridgeport. He spent many years coaching football and mentoring children and young adults. He started his coaching career in 1956 at the University of Bridgeport and then Notre Dame High School. In addition, he was a defensive and line coach with the Bridgeport Buccaneers North Atlantic Professional Football League and helped originate the Town of Stratford Pop Warner football program in 1963.

The values Tony DiMatteo and his wife Lena lived by - responsible stewardship and a spirit of generosity and kindness -- have been carried on by the second and third generations. "Last year, the DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation started organizing two charity events to increase and more than double or triple our support to the community," said John DiMatteo of Bethany, President of DiMatteo Group Financial Services in Shelton. "This year's golf classic and gala contributed $110,000 to five nonprofits around the state -- the single biggest donation we have made to the community in one year. Now, third-generation family members are getting involved in charity events and invigorating everything with new ideas."

The 20th Annual DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament kicked off this year’s fundraising campaign to help others in need. Nearly 109 golfers showed their support and played the championship golf course at Blackhawk Country Club in Stratford.

Due to the community's generosity, the Foundation donated $36,000 to three regional nonprofits. The Foundation is funded primarily from the proceeds of the DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament. The following three nonprofits each received a generous check of $12,000: Project Purple, Seymour; the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Ansonia and Shelton; and the Tony DiMatteo Scholarship Fund affiliated with Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield.

Fourteen area companies and business associates of DiMatteo Group were golf sponsors. DiMatteo Group includes two companies in Shelton: DiMatteo Group Financial Services and DiMatteo Group Tax & Accounting, both located at 1000 Bridgeport Avenue.

A special thanks to the top platinum sponsor, which was Cross Insurance in Shelton.

Another special thank you to Joe Bottone from Corporate Display Specialties in Shelton for preparing all the sponsorship and tee signs for the tournament. Plus, for 20 years, Steve Geremia from A & A Windshields in Shelton has donated proceeds from "Break the Windshield."

Volunteers who deserve special recognition include: Shelton residents Rosemarie Esposito, Loretta Lesko, Maureen Yash, Natalie Kaszei, Rose Grzybala, Donna Farens, Victoria DiMatteo, Karen Minopoli, Jill Bruno, and Jenine Motasky; Alyssa Zavadsky of Middlebury; Chelsea Dirienzo of Beacon Falls, and Nicole Esposito of Long Beach, NY.

Then, four days after their golf tournament, 160 guests attended the Second Annual DiMatteo Family Foundation Gala at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven. This Gala raised $74,000 through sponsorships and a live and silent auction for Project ALS and Her ALS Story in honor of Alexandra Cavaliere-Gasser of Bethany.

"We chose to support these particular charities because our friend’s family is affected by and deeply passionate about ALS and the organizations that fund their research and advocacy,” noted John DiMatteo.

Four businesses made generous contributions: Coldwell Banker, Presenting Sponsor; Procyon Partners, Dinner Sponsor; Tito's Handmade Vodka, Cocktail Sponsor; and Coastline Insulation, Entertainment Sponsor.

This event was chaired by Jessica DiMatteo of Bethany, a third-generation family member with DiMatteo Group Financial Services. She was assisted by the following dedicated committee members: Bethany residents John and Kim DiMatteo, Anthony DiMatteo and Nicole Kelley of Guilford, Michael DiMatteo of Tampa, along with Dave and Pat Raffauf of Orange, and Bethany residents Tom, Lorri, Alex, Ashley and Tom, Jr. Cavaliere.

According to Rosemarie Esposito, "The mission of our Foundation in conjunction with our Golf Tournament and Gala is to provide funding to organizations who are dedicated to research, education and finding a cure for diseases that have touched the lives of our friends, families, clients and staff. In recent years, we have expanded our reach to many other worthwhile charities because of the ever-increasing needs in the community."

Over the past twenty years, The DiMatteo Family Foundation has donated to over 20 nonprofits. Visit www.dimatteofamilyfoundation.com/ for more information.