“The Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation is extremely appreciative of its partnership with the NEC SAAC,” said Greg Anderson, founder of Harrisburg, PA-based CCRF. “While they are competitors on the field, 20 representatives from each of the 10 of the colleges and universities in the NEC banded together to help put smiles on the faces of children battling cancer. In addition to packing toys, they were able to raise much-needed funds that will greatly help families in need.”

Since 2010, the NEC has held its annual Penny Wars competition in which each institution encourages its students to donate their loose change. The schools compete to see which campus can collect the highest number of donations. The donations are then collected, combined and delivered to CCRF in support of its various programs. To date, the NEC SAAC has delivered nearly $30,000 to CCRF.

“Community engagement is one of the primary goals of the NEC and we deeply value the relationship that continues to grow between the NEC SAAC and the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation," said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. "Not only do our student-athletes come together annually to raise funds to support the work of the foundation, but every other year they have the opportunity to take part in projects that directly impact the children and families that benefit from the efforts of CCRF.”

For the 2014-15 academic year, the NEC plans to replace its traditional Penny Wars competition with what will be known as the Money Wars competition in the hopes of allowing additional creative freedom for student-athletes to raise even more money for CCRF.

2014-15 Northeast Conference SAAC Members

About Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation (CCRF)
Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA with a division in The Woodlands, TX, the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation supports children under 18 and their families facing the hardships of cancer. The foundation performs acts of care and kindness through the following programs: Bear-Able Gifts (largest distributor of gifts to children with cancer in the U.S.); Toxic-Free Kids (educates families on the dangers of environmental toxins); New Era Cancer Research Fund (funds research for less toxic, minimally-invasive pediatric-cancer treatments); International Aid (provides medications and supplies to clinics in developing and impoverished countries); Helping Hands Fund (provides emergency financial assistance to families); and Camp Scholarships (allows children in remission to reconnect with activities they love). With a national pediatric-hospital partner network of 215+ locations, the foundation directly helps more than 15,000 children affected by cancer and their families every year. Please visit www.ChildrensCancerRecovery.org.

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 34th year, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#23), Baltimore (#27), and Hartford/New Haven (#30).  Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 14 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary's, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Google+, all @NECsports.