At its 11th annual employee Bowl-A-Thon benefiting Make-A-Wish® New Jersey, J.H. Cohn LLP raised more than $110,000. In a span of eleven years, the firm has raised over $1.25 million for Make-A-Wish through employee fundraising, raffles, and donations. 

 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 after seven-year-old Chris Greicius realized his wish to become a police officer when, on April 29, he was sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history. Sadly, Chris died of leukemia just a few days later. Since that humble beginning, the organization has grown to be a worldwide phenomenon, reaching more than 250,000 children with life-threatening medical conditions. Wishes are limited only by the child's imagination.

 

Make-A-Wish New Jersey is one of J.H. Cohn Foundation's Cohn for Kids‒supported charities. Through Cohn for Kids and J.H. Cohn's efforts, over 100 wishes have been fully funded. This summer, approximately thirteen wishes will be granted through the funds that were raised at the Bowl-A-Thon. 

 

At the July 10 event, partners and staff from the firm's New Jersey offices lined the lanes of Hanover Lanes in East Hanover. Bowlers received donations and gained sponsorships from friends, family, and clients, who also participated in raffles and "tricky-tray" auctions, and raised additional funds for Make-A-Wish. 

 

As the icing on the cake, every year J.H. Cohn is honored to host a "Wish child" (and his or her family) who has been granted a wish through the donation from the prior year's Bowl-A-Thon. 

 

"Every year, I'm impressed by how our employees rally together to support this very special organization and the children it serves," said Michael L. Cohen, office managing partner of J.H. Cohn's Roseland office, director of the J.H. Cohn Foundation, and a Make-A-Wish New Jersey board member. "It was especially touching to have Kai, an eight-year-old Wish child, and his family join us this year. His spirit is an inspiration to all of us."

 

During the event, Cohen was presented with the inaugural Michael L. Cohen Corporate Citizen Award, which will be given annually to an employee or partner within J.H. Cohn who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to his or her community.

 

In June, the J.H. Cohn Foundation donated a total of $150,000 to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) and the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, two additional Cohn for Kids‒supported charities. Over the past six years, the foundation has raised more than $1 million for these two organizations through its Annual Charity Golf Invitational.