Allegiance Retail Services’ Joseph Fantozzi to Receive Visionary Award at Foundation Fighting Blindness Gala
February 19, 2026 | 4 min to read
ISELIN, NJ — Allegiance Retail Services (ARS), a leading supermarket grocery services co-op, is proud to announce that its own Joseph Fantozzi, President and COO, will be honored with the Visionary Award by The Foundation Fighting Blindness at its annual Night For Sight gala on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Guastavino’s in New York City. The Visionary Award recognizes honorees for their exemplary values, visionary leadership, and philanthropic impact on the community, aligning with the Foundation’s core missions and values.
“For nearly 15 years, Allegiance Retail Services has partnered with the Foundation Fighting Blindness through the New York Night for Sight and has raised over $1 million in support of our mission to drive research to provide treatments and cures for blinding diseases. The Foundation is proud to present our Visionary Award to Joe Fantozzi, Allegiance Retail Services President and COO, for his leadership, dedication, and commitment to our shared mission and values,” expressed Jason Menzo, CEO, Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Foundation Fighting Blindness has been a relentless force driving the research needed to end blinding retinal diseases and restore hope to millions facing vision loss. Through Night for Sight and similar events, the Foundation accelerates treatments and cures for blinding diseases.
“I am truly honored to receive the Visionary Award from the Foundation Fighting Blindness,” said Joseph Fantozzi, President and COO of Allegiance Retail Services. “Supporting the Foundation’s mission is deeply meaningful to our ARS family, and we are proud to help advance sight-saving research that brings hope to so many.”
ARS has a long history dedicated to supporting the Foundation’s work. ARS has been involved with the Foundation since 2011, ignited by ARS member Jason Ferreira, CEO of Ferreira Foodtown.
Ferreira is a longtime Foundation member and supporter, motivated by his family’s story. At birth, Ferreira’s son was diagnosed with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) and remains legally blind.
Ferreira, Fantozzi and their colleagues at ARS remain dedicated to funding sight-saving research, through their longstanding partnership with Foundation Fighting Blindness.
The Night for Sight Gala is Foundation Fighting Blindness’s signature fundraising event, bringing together leaders from the finance, food and fashion industries to support the Foundation’s mission of moving treatments from the laboratory to patients who need them most.
Alongside Joseph Fantozzi, other honorees will include Cameron Taylor, Managing Director of Global Healthcare Investment Banking, Life Sciences, BofA Securities and Vision Source.
For ticket and sponsorship information for this year’s Night for Sight, visit Give.FightingBlindness.org/NewYorkNightforSight .
Event Details
New York Night for Sight
Thursday, May 14, 2026
5:30p.m. Reception | 7:00 pm Dinner Program
Guastavino’s 409 East 59th Street, New York City
About Allegiance Retail Services LLC
Allegiance Retail Services, LLC supports independent supermarkets (e.g., Foodtown, Freshtown, D’Agostino, Gristedes, Pathmark, LaBella Marketplace, Brooklyn Harvest, Market Fresh, Big Deal Food Market, Green Way Markets, and Shop n Bag) for retail success by providing them with marketing, advertising, technological and merchandising support. For more information, please visit www.allegianceretailservices.com.
About Foundation Fighting Blindness
Established in 1971, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is the world’s leading private funding source for retinal degenerative disease research. The Foundation has raised more than $915 million toward its mission of accelerating research for preventing, treating, and curing blindness caused by the spectrum of blinding retinal diseases including: retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and Usher syndrome. Visit FightingBlindness.org for more information.