Villanova, PSU men’s basketball doubleheader hosts inaugural fundraiser for kids of 9/11 victims

Within days of 9/11, a college scholarship fund was established for the children of those who were killed or injured during the attacks.

Millions of dollars for the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has been raised since then, and more is needed for the fund to continue through 2030. The first-ever Never Forget Tribute Classic hopes to help raise money for the collegiate cause.

The fundraiser will take place Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, during an annual NCAA men’s basketball doubleheader.

Tipoff for the game between Notre Dame and 2016 NCAA men’s champions Villanova is at noon and will be broadcast on CBS. Game 2 between interstate rivals Penn State and Pitt starts at 2:30 p.m. and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.

More than 100 Families of Freedom members will be in attendance for both games. Among them will be the surviving members of the Giorgietti family.

Steven Giorgetti worked at North Tower-based firm Marsh & McLennan for 20 years and died on 9/11. With help from the scholarship fund, his children, Alexa and Paul, were able to attend Villanova. Paul graduated in 2012 and went on to work for Marsh, and his sister is a senior at the Pennsylvania school.

New Jersey native and former “American Idol” contestant Jax will kick off the Never Forget Tribute Classic by singingthe national anthem. Her father, a since-retired firefighter, was a first responder on 9/11.