Pierson Students Presenting Inaugural Hamptons Humanity Fundraiser

“My friends and I started Hamptons Humanity to give local kids a venue to understand all the need around us, even in one of the wealthiest parts of the country,” shared Matt Burke, founder of Hamptons Humanity. “We are happy to be able to engage with local organizations through service and philanthropy, and to educate families about how spending their philanthropic money locally can make a huge difference in our communities.”

On Saturday, January 9th, Hamptons Humanity will hold its inaugural fundraiser, a Volleyball Tournament that will take place at Pierson High School. Burke, a high school junior from Sag Harbor, established the organization late last year along with several other Pierson students, including Sean Sloane, Greg Baum, Cooper Schiavoni, EJ Burke, Mats Grebenstein, Isabel Peters, Jack Brown, Hollie Schleicher, and Sam Anderson.

“Our main goal in this group is to give back to our community for all the great things it has done for us,” noted Burke. “We also have lots of fun in this group.” Hamptons Humanity plans to hold several student-organized fundraisers throughout the year, to raise funds that will be awarded to other East End non-profits. Through the organization’s endeavors, along with giving back to Hamptons causes, the students will also learn about the philanthropy process, engaging in grant evaluation, site visits, budget allocation, and grant-making.

Hamptons Humanity’s debut event is open to both students and adults. Teams will consist of four players and participants will play a minimum of two games. Proceeds from the evening will support a local charity, which Hamptons Humanity hasn’t chosen yet. The competition begins at 5:30 p.m. and the entry fee is $40 per team. The Tournament winners will take home four tickets to a Brooklyn Nets game.

“The Volleyball Tournament is our first fundraiser, but we are planning to do many more in the near future,” added Burke. So make sure to keep an eye out for upcoming events hosted by these ambitious, benevolent teens.

Pierson High School is located at 200 Jermain Avenue in Sag Harbor. For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.hamptonshumanity.com.