An Evening of Philanthropy and Celebrity to benefit Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy !
New York Giants two-time Super Bowl Champion and Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck will host his 4th Annual Tuck’s Celebrity Billiards Tournament presented by RXR, a leading New York Tri-State real estate operating company, on Thursday, May 31st. The fourth annual fundraiser will once again be held at Slate NYC and continues to be the signature event of New York’s summer charity scene. The celebrity-packed competition will feature over 30 stars vying for the title as part of an effort to support a fundraising initiative for the Pro Bowler’s major charity platform, Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy.
The charity’s flagship fundraising event will bring together celebrities and VIPs to raise funds for Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy, an initiative started by Lauran and Justin Tuck to encourage children to READ, UNDERSTAND, SUCCEED and HOPE. The charity donates new books and other reading materials to underserved children in the Tri-State area and Central Alabama communities. To date, the Tucks’ initiatives have donated over 45,000 books to nearly 8,000 middle schoolers and have raised over $1 million. Furthermore, since 2008 the Tucks have granted over $150,000 to highperforming nonprofits that support underserved youth. 
Over the past three years, a variety of actors, actresses, professional athletes, recording artists, models and reality television stars have paid a visit to Slate NYC to lend their support to Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy, including actor Anthony Anderson, who has served as the Master of Ceremonies, DJ Mad Linx, who will be providing music for the evening, Vivica A. Fox (Actress), John Legend (Musician), Spike Lee (Actor), Padma Lakshmi (Super Model, Actress), Cedric the Entertainer (Actor), Buddy Valastro (Reality Star, Carlos Bakery), Chubb Rock (Hip-Hop Star), Petra Nemcova (Super Model), Adam Schefter (ESPN), Paul Sorvino (Actor), Landry Fields (NY Knicks), Mark Sanchez (NY Jets), Eli Manning (NY Giants), Hakeem Nicks (NY Giants) and Shaun O’Hara (NY Giants) among others.
“Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy has really ramped up support over the past few years,” said Tuck. “We are now able to see the long-lasting and positive effects we’ve had on childhood education. Last year was huge for us as we broke the $1 million fundraising mark, and we will continue to reach new levels. This has always been a great night for Lauran and me and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”
RXR Chairman and CEO Scott Rechler added, “The excitement of the New York Giants Super Bowl victory has been carried over to Tuck’s Celebrity Billiards Tournament and we are proud to be the presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. At RXR, our core values are to support philanthropic initiatives that improve the quality of life in our communities. Justin’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy has continually raised the bar in promoting literacy, giving our children the chance to be tomorrow’s leaders.”
The tournament consists of 32 two-person teams pre-paired in a single elimination 8-ball challenge overseen by referees and is managed by the American Poolplayers Association. After the final match, Tuck will present the winning team with a Grand Prize Luxury Package.
Tables and teams are still available for the event and a portion of team and table sales are tax deductible. For more information on participation, interested parties can visit www.justintuck.com or should email celebritybilliards@justintuck.com .
About Justin Tuck and Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy This program aims to encourage children to READ, UNDERSTAND, SUCCEED and HOPE as they continue to nurture literacy in their lives. Founded by Lauran and Justin Tuck, this initiative is committed to raising funds to donate books and other reading materials to enrich youth in the Tri-State and Central Alabama communities. The 2011 Celebrity Billiards event raised $475,000 and helped push Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy over the $1 million fundraising mark. Justin Tuck is a two-time NFL Pro Bowl and All-Pro defensive end who was drafted by the New York Giants in 2005. He recorded the best defensive performance during Super Bowl XLVI and his dominant play helped lead the Giants to victory against the New England Patriots for the second time in five years. For more information, please visit http://www.justintuck.com/.
