THE SODEXO STOP HUNGER FOUNDATION JOINS THE TOURNAMENT AS A PRIMARY CHARITY BENEFICIARY
ALLENTOWN, Penn. – Tournament officials with the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic today announced a five-year agreement that positions Sodexo, a global leader in food services and integrated facilities management solutions, as the presenting sponsor of the tournament. As a result, the name of the event moving forward becomes the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo.
Sodexo will also serve as the official on-course concessionaire and hospitality caterer for the tournament, bringing their more than 50 years of experience, high-quality dining solutions, and world-class chefs to the event for the enjoyment of fans attending the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic.
“Sodexo is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic. Events like this bring communities together while creating meaningful impact beyond the course. With our culinary and hospitality expertise coupled with the work of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, we look forward to helping deliver an exceptional experience for fans while supporting organizations that are making a real difference in the fight against hunger.” said Molly Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo U.S., Healthcare and Seniors.
In additional tournament news, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, a global leader in the fight against hunger, will join Eagles Autism Foundation and Valley Youth House as a primary beneficiary of the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic. Tournament proceeds will benefit local philanthropic organizations throughout the greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley regions and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“Welcoming another beneficiary reinforces the purpose behind this tournament,” said Nick Ragone, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Jefferson. “At Jefferson, we believe this event will bring people together, and when that energy is directed back into our community, the impact extends far beyond the course. This event not only supports important local needs, it showcases the very best of our region and reminds us what’s possible when tradition, generosity, and a shared commitment to service come together.”
The inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo will take place the week of September 28 to October 4, 2026, at Lehigh Country Club in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The tournament will feature a field of 78 PGA TOUR Champions players, with legends of the game, including names like Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Stewart Cink and more.
“Community and corporate support for the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo has been tremendous since we announced last year that the annual professional golf tournament will be coming to the Lehigh Valley,” said tournament director Tommy Sullivan. “We could not be more excited to welcome Sodexo to our sponsor roster and to add their incredible culinary experience on the golf course for our patrons and hospitality guests during tournament week. From the world-class competition, to fan activations and events, to locally inspired food and beverage options, the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic is definitely going to be the place to be this fall!”
The Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic is a Regular Season PGA TOUR Champions event in 2026, which will give way to the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs¾a season-ending, three-tournament series that and concludes with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, used to determine the TOUR’s season-long champion. The 2026 PGA TOUR Champions schedule features 28 events, with players competing for more than $70 million in total prize money, the highest in PGA TOUR Champions’ 46-season history.
All three rounds of the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic will be televised on GOLF Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories via 22 media partners.
For more information about the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic, including sponsorships, hospitality, Pro-Am, and volunteer opportunities, visit the tournament website at jeffersonclassic.com. For the latest news and updates on social media, follow the tournament on X at @JeffLVClassic, on Instagram at @jeffersonlvclassic, and on Facebook at JeffersonLVClassic.
About Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic
The Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic is an official event on the PGA TOUR Champions operated by Tournaments for Charity, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation. This 54-hole stroke play golf tournament features 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals competing for a $2.3 million purse at the historic Lehigh Country Club in Allentown, Pa. The event is designed to showcase the best golf on the PGA TOUR Champions for the enjoyment of spectators and to benefit local charities throughout the greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley regions and Northeastern Pennsylvania. All three official rounds will be internationally televised on GOLF Channel.
For more information about the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic, please visit jeffersonclassic.com. For the latest tournament news and updates on social media, follow the Jefferson Lehigh Classic on X, Instagram, and Facebook at @jeffersonclassic.com.
About Jefferson
Jefferson is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. More than 65,000 people strong, Jefferson is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospital campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans, through Health Partners Plans, Inc., is a not-for-profit managed health care organization offering a broad range of health coverage options to more than 370,000 members for more than 40 years.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is a division of Sodexo Group, a global Fortune 500 company operating in 45 countries and a leading provider of sustainable food and integrated facilities management in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, at every moment in life: learn, work, heal and play.
Across the U.S., the company employs over 100,000 people and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs by annually purchasing goods and services from a wide range of small to large businesses.
Sodexo North America is committed to meeting the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and to contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all.
About Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation
The Stop Hunger mission was established in 1996 by Sodexo employees in the United States, who observed children without sufficient food when school was closed for the summer. Four years later, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation was formed. Today, Stop Hunger is a global nonprofit acting to achieve a hunger-free world.
Building on 30 years of leadership, and in collaboration with volunteers, NGO partners, donors, and the unique ecosystem of Sodexo, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is scaling up innovative hunger-fighting solutions. These solutions are poised to have a broader and more profound impact on ending hunger in the most vulnerable communities.
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is an independent charitable organization in the United States that drives a movement of people who aim to both save lives and change lives by creating a sustainable hunger-free world.
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is committed to empowering youth who are dedicated to combating hunger and positively impacting their communities across America. Sodexo, Inc. funds all administrative costs for the Foundation to ensure that all money raised helps those in need. Since its inception, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has granted more than $29 million to help end childhood hunger.
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions) and on TikTok (pgatourchampions).
All events are televised in the United States on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories via 20 broadcast partners.
About HNS Sports Group
HNS Sports Group is well positioned to assist companies that find value in the golf industry and build and execute comprehensive golf branding or sponsorship strategies. Effectively understanding the golf marketplace today is a significant challenge, and the HNS Sports Group team possesses over 150 years of collective experience that is applied to lead companies in their efforts to maximize value from golf sponsorship and event participation. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit www.hnssports.com.
Information provided to TVL by:
Thomas P. Sprouse,
