Co-founder of the Charley Hoffman Foundation with her husband, PGA Tour professional Charley Hoffman, Stacy Hoffman talks getting lost in Venice, her favourite Italian traditions and supporting local communities
Married to four-time PGA Tour winner Charley Hoffman and a strong advocate for local philanthropy, Stacy Hoffman worked in public relations for companies such as Microsoft, Mastercard and Sara Lee before starting the Charley Hoffman Foundation in 2009, a foundation created to help raise funds for charities benefitting children in their native and adoptive hometowns of San Diego and Las Vegas.
Speaking from her home in San Diego, Stacy’s bubbly energy is both infectious and inspiring, qualities that have no doubt contributed to the foundation’s success, which has raised $4.5 million since its inception.
"I think that’s what so great about giving back and meeting some of these people who have the same interest and goals," says Stacy. "We are so fortunate to do what we love and not be in need, but to see the impact that we make and the relationships that we make – it’s a ripple effect. You surround yourself with likeminded people and then meet more of those people and you can do bigger and better things by the community and all the people you know."
What inspired you to start the Charley Hoffman Foundation?
"Charley was asked to take over a Junior Golf tournament event that another professional golfer used to support. So, he was super excited to dive right in and after we did that one-time event, we were talking about how we could make a way bigger impact if we created a foundation.
We wanted to take advantage of the fact that Charley gets to play golf on the PGA Tour, which he loves, and taking that platform to create a foundation that was going to be able to give back to the communities which we lived in.
When we first started, we knew we wanted to help children and we knew we wanted to help San Diego Junior Golf because that’s how Charley started playing and it gave him the opportunity to compete. He didn’t grow up in a country club or anything like that. So, [Junior Golf] really gave him the opportunity and he wanted to give other kids that same opportunity."
Which charity collaboration was most special to you and why?
"We worked with a really awesome charity called Goodie Two Shoes. It was founded by former professional American football player Tony Berti and his wife, Nikki, modelled after something the NFL San Diego Chargers used to do. Essentially, they go to schools and they outfit kids with new shoes that fit them and they get to choose them, so giving them the power of choice. It sounds so simple but really is empowering for the kids and I loved it so much.
Anything that you get involved in with kids is so impactful because it was amazing that something as simple as a pair of shoes made them so happy. I met one child who said, “Well, I need black shoes because my mom and I wear the same size shoes and at night she needs black shoes for work”. Things that you couldn’t even comprehend. Another would have three pairs of socks on because they wore shoes that were too big for them. So you would make them take their shoes off and give them a clean pair of socks and you would help them pick out a pair of shoes that fit them. And then they got to wear them home. I think we take that for granted, you know, having a pair of shoes that fit.
While I served on the PGA Tour Wives Association board, I connected that organisation with Goodie Two Shoes and when they do the PGA Tour Las Vegas tournament, the wives come and they meet at the school and they help the kids get new shoes. So, even though the Charley Hoffman Foundation doesn’t continually support them, we connected those two organisations for service projects."
How do you live life Issimo?
"I always feel like I can do more. Do more charity work. Charley and I are really trying to give charitable responsibility to our kids. I’ve just started NCL [National Charity League] with my oldest daughter – it’s an organisation that empowers young women by providing opportunities for mothers and their daughters to give back to their community through charitable work.
I’d like to do even more service work. During Covid some of the Pro Kids were going off to college, sometimes the first in a family, and there we were in our masks dropping off these goodie bags. We met in the garage or driveway, and it was amazing how such a little thing like giving them a basket of goodies for their dorm room made such an impact."
When you think of Italy, what comes into your mind?
"My family. My Dad is half Sicilian, from my grandmother’s side, and I feel like growing up we embraced a lot of Italian traditions. We always have some sort of Italian food at Thanksgiving and Christmas. In fact, I remember one of the first holidays [Charley and I spent together] Charley came over to my parents’ house and we had lasagne for our first course!
I’ve been to Italy once, right after college. I worked two jobs before I started my first real professional job. But I wanted to travel Europe, so I backpacked with a friend and I went to Italy. I loved it. I loved everything about it. I loved the people, I loved the culture, I loved the history, I loved the food. I was on a very tight budget so I’m dying to go back, when I’m not only eating one meal a day!
I remember we went to Venice and it was only the time my girlfriend and I got in an argument because we got so turned around, everywhere looked the same – all the little canals – we got so lost! After that we had an hour pit stop in Pisa on the train and I grabbed my backpack and ran to the tower of Pisa. I got the classic Pisa picture – who knows where it is now!"
Where is next on your Italian bucket list?
"I would love to go back and explore wine country, especially Tuscany. I envision being in the countryside, tasting all the wine and taking cooking classes in a big villa. I’d like to explore some of the less travelled places in Italy."
What is your favourite Issimo wine?
"The Prosecco Rosé DOC Brut 2022 Millesimato and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry are both delicious. The ladies at our recent Sip & Shop event loved it. It was a special treat for us to have someone like Issimo supporting our cause."