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JAK Fund supports local families at Thanksgiving

October 16, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

It is a time for a traditionally large dinner with friends and family.

However, not everyone has the means to have a large meal during this special time of year.

The JAK Fund helped local families celebrate Thanksgiving by providing a full dinner they could enjoy on the holiday.

The JAK Fund is named for Justin Alexander Keogh, a young man who lost his life at age 18 in an automobile accident along with two other local teens.

Funds were raised during the JAK Fund’s wildly popular annual Washer Toss Tournament held at the Tottenham Community Centre.

Funds raised at the tournament are given to several local charitable organizations, with the Our Town Food Bank in Tottenham being one of the main beneficiaries.

Volunteers at the Food Bank were joined by members of the JAK Fund to pack 200 Thanksgiving dinners for local families.

The Washer Toss started out as a fairly small event held in the gym at the Community Centre; however, it was so popular that organizers doubled the number of entries the next year.

Eventually, the event had to move to the arena because so many people wanted to be a part of the tournament. The tournament is a fun night and has become a tradition in Tottenham.

“The Town is very supportive of our efforts,” said Paul Keogh, who was Justin’s uncle. “These meals are part of what the Washer Toss funds go to. We started doing this five years ago and the first year we prepared 40 meals. This year were are preparing 200 meals for local families.”

The need for assistance from the Food Bank has grown considerably over the past few years as more and more people are struggling with food insecurity.

The JAK Fund was able to help through its donation, so many local families could enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. 

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