How It Started 

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In March 2019, we started with one goal: begin raising funds in Matthew's name at Wake Forest University School of Business in order to secure an endowed memorial scholarship inperpetiuty. The required amount: $100,000.

(That's a lot of zeros...) 

Only a few months after his passing in November 2018, raising that amount of money felt completely impossible. However, from the darkest depths of depression and frustration, each of the (now) MGM Fund founders could not shake the feeling that...

"If the tables were turned,

Matthew would have worked double-triple over time

to do the same thing for me."

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And so we began with high(ish) hopes and a vision that we might meet our goal in about... 10... 15 years-time. We gave advanced, (overly) thorough notice to those in Matt's circles who could be great advocates to help promote awareness and messaging during our first campaign cycle. We posted a call for a graphic designer on our social media pages. We recruited friendly beards who were willing to go out on a limb for us by answering silly questions like "What is your beard's spirit animal?" We got to work. 

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To say that we were BLOWN AWAY by the response in March 2019 is an understatement. We were absolutely humbled, honored, and all around in shock that we raised over $5,000 by Day 2 of the 31-day month.

I'm telling you... we. were. floored.

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When we closed shop on April 1, 2019, our silly little Facebook fundraiser had yielded $13,419, plus we had diverted an additional $9,155 in donations directly to Wake Forest. Our momentum helped us gain attention at Wake; they saw we were serious and offered to host a fundraising and remembrance dinner in Matthew's honor. Following some final contributions and two major family gifts, we landed at $50,258 raised in Matt's name to date by the close of 2019. By the time we started our March 2020 campaign, Wake Forest was able to pair us with one incomparably supportive and generous family who pledged to match our contributions in full. We officially hit the $100,000 mark, effectuating the Matthew Griffin Mancuso Endowed Memorial Scholarship at Wake Forest University in perpetuity as of April 2020. 

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 How It's Going 

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Having hit our $100,000 goal at Wake Forest so quickly, it's allowed us the opportunity to focus on supporting Camp Nejeda and Parsippany Hills High School much sooner than expected. Between 2020 and 2021, we formed an official 501c3 and Board of Directors, continued the Beware the Beards of March campaign in stride, and used its yields to make the following impact among the communities Matthew loved most:

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Camp Nejeda

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In our second year, we donated $2,500 to camp's September walk-a-thon during a fundraising blitz where another donor was matching donations,

yielding a $5,000 impact in 2020

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In our third year, we donated $8,000 to camp so they can purchase new, sorely-needed outdoor furniture. This was the camp's highest priority post-COVID in order to promote social distancing and outdoor activity instead of indoor congregating. Plus, in our pursuit to make even greater waves, we found an incredibly generous donor in local furniture maker, Bare Woods (Ledgewood, NJ) who agreed to match an additional $2,000 of furniture, 

yielding  a $10,000 impact in 2021 

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In our fourth year, we donated $8,242 and registered a team (+$55) to join Camp Nejeda's 2022 walk-a-thon. At the event, the MGM Team announced a new type of recognition award that will be presented in Summer 2023. This will go to one outstanding Junior Counselor who went above and beyond to make camp a better, safer, happier place for those around them. This individual will be chosen by a committee of folks who knew Matthew well, but also know the character and caliber of the current staff. We are excited to watch this program blossom over time. Ultimately, these efforts left our team

yielding  a $8,297     impact in 2022 

+ launch of a new youth recognition  program (coming 2023!)

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In our fifth year, we donated $4,120 to support the full cost and transactions related to one full campership. Additionally, Rebecca Noll was awarded Camp's inaugural MGM Leadership Award. As it was put to us...

"Camp is definitely a better place when Rebecca is here.

Actually, her personality feels similar to Matt's

in that she is a quiet presence... she's definitely   the type

who is paying and giving attention, not seeking it. "

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Parsippany Hills High School

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As of our second year, we've been able to sponsor the Matthew Mancuso "Pro-Humanitate" Scholarship Award at Parsippany Hills High School. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student who teachers identify as a true steward of their classroom environment. We seek to acknowledge those who act as a positive, hard-working, team-oriented advocate with the goal to see themselves and their peers succeed. This is the same type of student we all knew Matthew to be. We've been honored to award $1,000 scholarships to the following students to date:

Austin Ruth, PHHS Class of 2020 

Jack Reppen, PHHS Class of 2021

Emma Pierce, PHHS Class of 2022

Isabella Ferdinandi, PHHS Class of 2023

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Wake Forest School of Business

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We remain incredibly fortunate to have gained all funding needed to establish an endowed scholarship in Matthew's name at Wake Forest. This ensures that there will always be a "Matthew Mancuso" Scholar within each Master of Accountancy cohort in perpetuity (that literally means forever). We've been honored to award $5,000 scholarships to the following students to date:

Robert Naumann, Master of Accountancy Class of 2021 

Johnathon Rieth, Master of Accountancy   Class of 2022

Garrett Rotondaro, Master of Accountancy Class of 2023

McKenna Polk, Master of Accountancy Class of 2024