Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin Surprise Families with Kids in Treatment for Cancer by Paying for Groceries

"These families deserve a little joy this holiday season," Eli Manning tells PEOPLE

Two surprises greeted a group of New Jersey families when they walked into a grocery store several miles from MetLife Stadium, where the New York Giants and Jets both play.

The first surprise was being met by Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, the former star quarterback and coach of the Giants, who paired up to win two Super Bowl titles in the 2007 and 2011 seasons. The second was that Manning and Coughlin would pay for their groceries.

The families all have children with cancer, and the event was a continuation of the work Manning and Coughlin have done for years working to fight childhood cancer. Manning is an ambassador for Hackensack Meridian's Tackle Kids Cancer’s initiative, aimed at finding cures for pediatric cancer. Coughlin’s charity, The Jay Fund, provides financial and emotional support for families who have a child with the disease.

Related: Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin Bring Super Bowl Teamwork to Fight Against Childhood Cancer

“We’ve been having a blast with the families — so many smiles,” Manning tells PEOPLE. “Having a child with cancer, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like, and the toll on the families. To have a day, in the holiday season, to have fun and just load up — obviously on the essentials, the things you need, but also all the cookies and cupcakes for the kids. Because these families deserve a little joy this holiday season.”

The guiding belief of Coughlin’s Jay Fund is that the sacrifices made by families of children with cancer are extraordinary — and often overlooked. According to the National Children’s Cancer Society, one in four families of children with cancer loses over 50% of their income due to disruptions stemming from the disease.

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Since its founding in 1996, the Jay Fund has provided approximately $20 million to more than 5,600 families with children suffering from cancer in the New York City and Jacksonville, Fla., areas where Coughlin coached the NFL's Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars.

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“This can be a very difficult time of the year for these families — everywhere you look on TV, someone is celebrating or getting a gift,” Coughlin tells PEOPLE. “We want families to enjoy the holiday season despite what they’re going through. Every family deserves to have a warm and safe home, and to put food on the table.”

He tells PEOPLE that since 2021, the Jay Fund has seen a 29% increase in the amount of financial support the charity has needed to cover food and grocery costs. This year alone, the foundation has paid 3,734 bills for rent, mortgage, utilities, groceries and transportation costs. That amounts to 11 bills a day.

Related: Former Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Opens Up About Being His Wife's Full-Time Caregiver Before Her Death

“If we can help them through this critical time of the year, then we can see all the joy,” says Coughlin.

For more information on Tackle Kids Cancer, visit tacklekidscancer.org. For more information on the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation visit tcjayfund.org.

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