A Day on the Green with a Deeper Purpose: Samaritan Daytop Foundation Announces 18th Annual Golf Invitational & Dinner

STATEN ISLAND, NY, UNITED STATES, June 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Thursday, July 17th, the lush grounds of Richmond County Country Club will once again host a cherished tradition: the 18th Annual Golf Invitational & Dinner, presented by the Samaritan Daytop Foundation. The event offers more than a well-appointed day of golf—it is a timely and vital fundraiser, benefiting Samaritan Daytop Village and their life-saving programs.

In 1960, over 65 years ago, Father Damian Pitcaithly opened the first center in Astoria, Queens, offering counseling services for adolescents struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Today, Samaritan Daytop Village and Health serve as a lifeline for collectively over 43,000 New Yorkers in crisis each year, offering a comprehensive continuum of care that includes substance use treatment, mental health services, primary health care, and supportive and transitional housing.

This year’s gathering will honor a business leader and philanthropist who has made it his mission to uplift New York families: Vincent Theurer, Jr. of Approved Oil and Board Member of the Richmond Community Development Center.

“Approved Oil has been a force for stability and warmth—literally and figuratively—for generations of New Yorkers,” said Vincent F. Pitta, Esq., host of the Golf Invitational and board member of Samaritan Daytop Village. “Honoring Vincent Theurer, Jr. is an acknowledgment of both entrepreneurial excellence and deeply rooted community service.”

Beyond the Fairway: A Community in Need

Though the event is joyful, it is not without urgency. Staten Island continues to experience some of the highest overdose death rates in the city. According to the NYC Department of Health, overdose fatalities in the borough rose from 38.2 to 40.1 per 100,000 residents between 2022 and 2023. Fentanyl was involved in 80% of those deaths, while the use of xylazine—a dangerous additive—also spiked.

Mental health challenges remain prevalent as well. A 2024 citywide report found that one in four adults lives with a mental health condition each year. Staten Island’s limited access to treatment resources has compounded the crisis.

Proceeds fund programs that provide treatment, transitional housing, behavioral healthcare, and support services to thousands across the five boroughs of New York City and beyond.

“This event is a testament to our community’s resilience,” said Pitta. “It’s about more than fundraising—it’s about ending stigma, restoring dignity, and building pathways to healing.”


Through a rich array of specialized health and human services, Samaritan Daytop Village brings lifesaving and life-changing services to men and women, adolescents, veterans, older adults, mothers and babies, the unhoused, and families.

The Staten Island Outpatient Treatment Program provides holistic, person-focused behavioral and primary health care on an outpatient basis to children and adults. As a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, our outpatient program specializes in a range of conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders, and offers Comprehensive Integrated Opioid Treatment Program services such as Medications for Substance Use Disorder. Here, patients restore mental health balance, attain physical health and well-being, and benefit from personal growth and wellness.
The walk-in center is located at 1915 Forest Avenue.

Join the Movement

To sponsor the event, register a foursome, or contribute to the mission, please visit
https://samaritandaytopfdn.givecloud.co/special-events or contact Roseann Evans, Director of Development, at roseann.evans@samaritanvillage.org.

About Samaritan Daytop Foundation
Samaritan Daytop Foundation raises funds to support essential programs and services of Samaritan Daytop Village, including those for Staten Island residents.

Theresa ONeal Redd
Global Spectrum Group LLC
+1 917-445-7495
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