Our Impact

Since its inception in 2002, the Maverick Foundation has positively impacted the community through providing educational scholarships to young people who commit to volunteer work with various local organizations. Their public service work is tied in with the Congressional Award program, which recognizes them for setting and achieving goals. These three major components come together to define the essence of what we do:

 

Scholarships Granted

Scholarship recipients Michelle DeTomaso, Victoria Vega, Jordan Marino, and Jessica Halter

The Maverick Foundation has awarded approximately $395,000, as of June 2018, in total scholarships. Annual scholarship awards started at $2,500 the first year with one recipient, and grew steadily to nearly $56,000 in annual awards by 2018 with a total of 50 recipients. We currently offer five scholarships annually with each having a maximum value of $7,000.

To help us continue this growth, consider making a donation to the foundation.

Community Service Commitments

Jordan Marino, Jessica Halter and Victoria Vega with Rep. Michael Grimm in 2013

Just as we have grown our scholarship program, our youth participants—including a few who are not scholarship recipients—have increased their community impact through volunteer hours completed. In a single year, our volunteers collectively give up to approximately 1,000 hours of their time to support local organizations. So far they have logged 10,090 hours in community service work, and this number continues to rise.

Our program strengthens cooperation in the community as well, as our scholarship recipients have worked with a diverse array of community groups and agencies over the years. Organizations our scholarship recipients have volunteered with include:

  • Staten Island Zoo
  • Eger Health & Rehabilitation Center
  • Saint Joseph – Saint Thomas Swim Team
  • Staten Island Friends for Hospice Care
  • Somerset County Medical Center
  • Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy
  • New York City Police Department
  • Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
  • Staten Island Alzheimer’s Association
  • Snug Harbor Newhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art
  • Staten Island Project Homefront
  • Clove Lake Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center
  • Saint Teresa Basketball & Baseball Clinics
  • The Alice Austen House Museum
  • Special Olympics
  • Meals on Wheels

Congressional Awards Earned

Kathleen Brim and Joseph Plescia with Rep. Michael McMahon in 2010

All of our youth participants’ hard work has not gone unrecognized. They participate in the Congressional Award program, offered by the U.S. Congress, in which young people set their own goals and earn medals for realizing them.

So far, our rising stars have been awarded 18 gold medals, 25 silver medals, and 30 bronze medals through the Congressional Award Foundation. Each medal level involves creating goals in four major areas: public service work, personal development, physical activity, and exploration. For more details about our participation in the Congressional Award program, see this article.

“I’d like to congratulate Joseph Plescia for his outstanding commitment to volunteer public service. His selfless dedication to helping others makes him a leader among his peers and sets an example that I hope other Staten Islanders will follow. Completing over 400 hours of community service is no easy task, and he has truly earned his Congressional Award Gold Medal.” – Congressman Michael Grimm

Kaitlyn Gullickson with Rep. Leonard Lance in 2009

The Maverick Foundation congratulates the following medal earners on their latest accomplishments:

  • Danielle McLaughlin – Gold 2006
  • Mary-Kate Rose – Gold 2009
  • Christina Borovilas – Gold 2009
  • Kathleen Brim – Gold 2010
  • Joseph Plescia – Gold 2011
  • Michelle DeTomaso – Gold 2012
  • Victoria Vega – Gold 2014
  • Jessica Halter – Gold 2014
  • Jordan Marino – Gold 2015
  • Ryan Buraus – Gold 2015
  • Sarah Primiano – Gold 2016
  • Thomas Walsh – Gold 2016
  • James Borovilas – Gold 2016
  • Genevieve Bruen – Gold 2017
  • Santo Tiralosi – Gold 2017
  • Kristen Blanchard – Gold 2018
  • Frank Pizzella – Gold 2018
  • Peter Rotondo – Gold 2018
  • Kaitlyn Gullickson – Silver 2009
  • Vincent McLaughlin – Silver 2009
  • John Borovilas – Silver 2014
  • Christopher Clancy – Silver 2018
  • Madison Gorman – Silver 2018
  • Emilie Lauria – Silver 2018
  • Hannah Nyquist – Silver 2018
  • Jenna Carrera – Bronze 2017
  • Jacqueline Sutera – Bronze 2017
  • Julia Calvo – Bronze 2018
  • Alana Genovese – Bronze 2018
  • Nicholas Wilson – Bronze 2018

Michelle DeTomaso with Rep. Michael Grimm in 2011

 

“We’re here because of the rock star, Michelle DeTomaso. It’s not easy getting one of these awards. I want to say thank you for what you do and I hope that you will remain in our community working hard and making it a better community for all of us.” –Congressman Michael Grimm

Click here to learn more about our rising stars and how they feel about the program.