MITER Foundation Raises More Than $4.8 Million Through Annual Charity Golf Outings

HARRISBURG, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 13, 2024--

MITER Foundation, the charitable arm of MITER Brands, a residential window and door manufacturer that produces a portfolio of window and door brands for the new construction and replacement segments with an owner-operated, family-first approach, recently raised more than $4.8 million in total through its two annual charity golf outings in Pennsylvania and California. Funds raised from the 2024 events set a new record for the organization.

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On Oct. 8 - 10, 587 participants gathered at Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pennsylvania, for various activities, including golfing, multiple banquets, live and silent charity auctions, and more.

The live auction during the Hershey event offered many exciting and unique items and experiences, including the “Military Support Mission” experience in Washington, D.C., which included tickets to the 2024 Army/Navy game. Additional experiences up for bid were a Need for Speed F1 race experience in Miami, a golf getaway, and Targets and Tennis, which included an outdoor shooting experience at Hudson Farms and tickets to the 2025 US Open in New York City.

“These annual golf outings are truly one of the year’s highlights,” said Anthony Kassab, Chair of the MITER Foundation Executive Committee. “Every year, I am humbled and inspired by the incredible generosity and unwavering support from all who participate, and it is a true testament to the power of community and shared purpose. Over the years, the MITER Foundation has significantly expanded its capacity to give back, enhancing the communities where we live and work, and this progress has been made possible through the dedication of our team members, partners, and supporters.”

The second charity golf outing was held on Nov. 12 - 13 at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California. The event’s 217 participants enjoyed golfing and first-class meals catered by the Pechanga Resort Casino staff. A live charity auction featured a variety of excursions, including a North Island experience, a Camp Rainbow experience, an outdoor shooting experience at Hudson Farms, and tickets to the 2025 US Open in New York City. Attendees also vied for one-of-a-kind pieces of art and a wine varietal with a custom box produced specifically for the event. Various additional items were up for bids in the online silent auction.

Both events were attended by supply partners, customers, nonprofit partner organizations, MITER Brands team members, and honored guests.

Serving as the primary fundraising activity for the MITER Foundation, all money raised at the events goes toward the four primary causes supported by the MITER Foundation: cancer support, heroes support, children’s wellbeing, and local outreach.

Formed in 2015, the MITER Foundation was born out of a sense of care and compassion from the MI® Windows and Doors team. Over the years, the MITER Foundation has expanded from local charities to a nationwide presence, partnering with organizations to drive the MITER Brands people-first culture in communities throughout the country.

To learn more, visit MITERFoundation.org.

About MITER Foundation

In 2015, the MITER Foundation™ was founded on the belief that we all have an obligation to help our fellow citizens. The foundation has committees at each of our locations that raise and donate funds for their local communities, as well as three noteworthy causes – heroes support, children’s well-being, and cancer support.

About MITER Brands

Founded in 1947, MITER Brands is a residential window and door manufacturer that produces a portfolio of window and door brands for the new construction and replacement segments with an owner-operated, family-first approach. With more than 25 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States, MITER Brands is a nationwide supplier of precision-built and energy-efficient products. Through optimized manufacturing, valued relationships, and dedicated team members coast to coast, MITER Brands instills confidence and drives quality customer experiences.

For more information, visit www.miterbrands.com.

Prospective bidders hold up their paddles during the MITER Foundation’s live auction at its charity event in Temecula (Photo: Business Wire)

Golfers celebrate a made putt at the MITER Foundation charity golf outing in Hershey (Photo: Business Wire)

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries agreed on Friday a draft law aimed at preventing and countering migrant smuggling, which critics say could be used to target people or charity groups that try to help migrants in trouble.

The aim of the new law is to broaden the definition of what migrant smuggling involves and to increase prison sentences and fines. The agreement between the 27 EU member countries forms their position for final negotiations on the law with the European Parliament.

“If we want to be serious about protecting our borders, we need to step up the fight against migrant smuggling,” said Hungarian Justice Minister Bence Tuzson, whose country holds the EU presidency. “Criminalizing this offence in a uniform manner across the EU would play a key role in this area.”

About 380,000 unauthorized crossings were detected at the EU’s external borders last year. The police agency Europol estimates that more than 90% of those migrants who reach Europe’s shores use the services of smugglers.

The law would oblige all countries to ensure that it would be a crime for anyone to intentionally help a migrant enter, cross or stay in the EU in exchange for “financial or material benefit.” Convicted smugglers should be jailed for up to three years, or over 10 years if someone dies.

It sets fines for organizations or their representatives implicated in smuggling of up to 40 million euros ($42 million).

The draft contains a “humanitarian clause” which would “specify that certain assistance to irregular migrants, notably assistance to close family members or support to provide basic human needs, may not qualify as the criminal offence of migrant smuggling.”

However, member countries would not be legally bound to apply it.

The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), which represents 160 organizations focused on migrants’ rights, is concerned that the non-binding nature of the clause could mean more legal action against migrants and people who help them.

Its senior advocacy officer, Marta Gionco, said that the draft law “goes in the direction of more criminalization, with more people expected to face trials, fines and prison sentences simply for helping other people.” Some migrants are charged as smugglers for steering the boats they're picked up on.

PICUM says that at least 117 people faced legal proceedings for helping migrants last year and at least another 102 people in 2022. Some were charged for rescuing or helping migrants in distress at sea, others for providing shelter, food, water or clothing.

Italy has waged a legal campaign against NGOs that it accuses of attracting people to its shores by using ships to scour the Mediterranean in search of migrant boats in trouble. Italian authorities have seized and impounded charity boats dozens of times in recent years.

The reasons for holding them, often for weeks and sometimes for months, range from “aiding and abetting illegal migration” to seemingly more minor charges like maritime security “technical irregularities” or the “illegal management of waste.”

One ship was held for not ignoring migrant mayday calls while it was taking other migrants it had rescued to a safe harbor; another for “carrying too many passengers” after a rescue. An NGO spotter plane was grounded for spending too many hours at sea.

FILE - Migrants from Eritrea, Libya and Sudan crowd the hold of a wooden boat before being assisted by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, in the Mediterranean sea, about 30 miles north of Libya, Saturday, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra, File)

A woman, one of some 258 people, including Syrians, Egyptians, Bangladeshi, and South Sudanese, saved from the sea in two different rescue operations on Friday is disembarked in Salerno, southern Italy, from the Doctors Without Borders search and rescue ship Geo Barents Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Paolo Santalucia, File)