STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— Fresh off their big divisional win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night, New York Giants tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger spent their weekend off giving back as they hosted a fundraiser at The Dink Den, a popular Staten Island pickleball venue, to support Hackensack Meridian Health and Tackle Kids Cancer.
Additionally, every donation to the cause was matched by Giants legend Eli Manning, further strengthening Big Blue’s connection to the event and doubling its impact.
The event, which drew roughly 200 local Giants fans, featured meet-and-greet opportunities, open pickleball courts, and more, and also received support from community businesses including DF Studio Inc., Porterhouse Party, Uppercutz Barbershop, Ho Brah’s and others.
“Tackle Kids Cancer means a lot to me. I’ve built a relationship with a father whose 6-year-old is battling leukemia, and seeing what they’re going through really puts things in perspective,” Bellinger told the crowd gathered.
“Events like this show that football means so much more to people than just the game — it brings hope, inspiration and support to families going through tough times. Winning games helps, too, but I’m just grateful everyone came out today,” he continued.
His teammate echoed those sentiments while adding a personal story to his motivation for coming: “Building off what Daniel said, I really appreciate everyone coming out. This is a great cause. Growing up, I was on a team with people affected by childhood cancer, so this really hits home for me.”
“We have a great platform, and any chance we get to give back, we try to take it. I appreciate everyone who came out and helped make this possible. This is an awesome event,” Johnson said.
One of the vendors in attendance, The Dripbar — an IV therapy business — made the trip from Rye to take part; owner Andrea Della Mura had a strong reason to support the cause as a two-time cancer survivor.
“I want to personally thank Daniel and Theo for using your platform for something like this. I’m 56 years old and a two-time cancer survivor. The first time was when I was 24 and the second was at 39,” she began.
“Believe it or not, they were two different kinds of breast cancer. I’m here to remind everyone to take care of yourselves — and thank you two again for using your platform for such a special cause,” Della Mura continued.
Another vendor, Never Ride Stock — a car window tinting and custom shoe service that makes San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle’s gameday shoes — saw the intersection of athlete culture and charity as the perfect reason to give back.
“I’ve always felt we should get involved if something like this came to Staten Island, especially if I can give back in any way. As a newer business on the Island, I love being part of local events, showing what we can do, and connecting with people in the community,” said owner Danny Lee.
Giants fans from across the borough were thrilled to attend — including Mike O’Brien (not related to the author!), who couldn’t pass up the chance to meet a pair of Big Blue teammates.
“I’m a huge Giants fan. I figured that with two stud players like Danny and Theo here, it’d be really sweet to meet them — and it’s all for a good cause. It was really cool,” he said.
Dink Den owner Daniel Greaves said he was more than happy to open his doors for an event like this, helping to bridge charity and give the Giants a chance to connect with their fans.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to bring the community together and bring more awareness to our location, while also giving the neighborhood a chance to meet some of the Giants after a big win Thursday night. It’s a great turnout — we’re thrilled with the community support,” Greaves said.
Lastly, Bellinger and Johnson spoke about continuing the Giants’ longstanding partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, which has long focused on philanthropic efforts, community initiatives and more.
“I think the Giants do a really great job of giving back. We’re very active in the community and with community service, so whenever we have the opportunity to do so, we take advantage of it,” Johnson said.
“Having this platform as an opportunity to give back has been huge for us, for the Giants, and for us to give our support to those who might not have those opportunities,” Bellinger said.