OUR MISSION
Golfing For Heroes is a Non-Profit 501(c)3, and carries out its exempt purposes by organizing and hosting charitable golf outings and community events to raise funds and awareness in honor of the victims of September 11, 2001.
Funds raised are used to provide charitable support to veterans, military members, first responders and individuals and families impacted by the events of September 11, 2001, and to promote public education, remembrance and community engagement related to their service, sacrifice and legacy.
FOUNDER
DONNA SPERA
My name is Donna Spera and I am a 9/11 survivor. I am 1 of 12 (out of 200) that survived the sky lobby floor of the South Tower. I lost many dear friends/colleagues that day and I will never forget. Second and third degree burns, broken bones, mental anguish, guilt and PTSD over the years has been a fight every day. The years of healing both mentally and physically have been challenging but has driven me to help those affected. I am a determined person and a very strong-willed person, continuing to never forget that horrible day, and to always remember those that have died and those that are still suffering.
Good friends of mine and my husband had an idea nine years ago to have a golf outing to give back to our heroes. We formed Golfing for Heroes which is a 501c3, Non-Profit organization, and our mission is to remember and honor all those that have made an ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001. We honor those continuing to suffer and those who have perished.
I have been hosting golf outings in New Jersey since 2018, along with golf outings in Florida since 2023. We have been fundraising for organizations specifically dedicated towards veterans, military and first responders who are in need of some form of help. We are expanding to do more in the local communities. We have raised close to $300,000 since we started and am very proud of our organization and all the support we receive throughout the years.
This year we will be dedicating and fundraising for the Road Home Foundation. They are committed to responding to the needs of our active duty and retired military personnel and their families.
Please consider donating to help this be another successful year. All donations are appreciated (baskets, monetary, gift cards, etc.). In appreciation of your generosity, we can proudly display your name and/or business for your donation(s). Our organization cannot be a success without the generous support of friends, family and businesses.
TRUSTEE
THEODORE SPERA
My Name is Ted Spera I am the husband of Donna Spera, as you know my wife is a 9/11 survivor. And I am big supporter of her.
We started this golf outing 5 years ago from a conversation amongst friends in a backyard over drinks. It’s such a great opportunity to do this golf outing every year and to know that we can make a difference, by supporting veterans and first responders. We are dedicated on keeping 9/11 as a date to always remember and to keeping memories of those that have perished alive.
TRUSTEE
MICHAEL REILLY
So honored to be able to play a small part in an organization that wants to and has done good. One's life is shaped by events and the people you meet and mine is no different. Like many others I was there on 9/11. Many years later I was fortunate to become friends with Donna and Ted Spera and truly understood what it meant to be THERE.
TRUSTEE
CHRIS FOLEY
What started out as a thought over a few beers around a fire pit in a backyard in the summer of 2018 has now morphed into GFH, something we are extremely proud of and have watched grow into this wonderful organization that has helped so many, including all of us who are a part of it. Like many of you 9/11 affected me deeply that fateful Tuesday in September. I was in New York City that day a couple of miles away and will never forget the feelings and thoughts of that day and the days afterward. There were feelings of sadness, anger, patriotism, and most importantly of…HOPE. We all knew someone whose life was forever changed that day but for me it wasn’t until my wife Edith reconnected with an old High School friend back in 2008. Since that time the 4 of us, E, Donna, Ted, and myself have become so close that they are now family. I will never forget one night years ago as the 4 of us sat in my house and we got a firsthand account of what the 2 of them went through that day and the days after. That alone is the reason we do this. Donna alone is the reason we do this. But at this point I think she just keeps me around for the comic relief.
We could not do this without the extraordinary people we have surrounded ourselves with and without all of you and your generosity towards our organization. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your past, present, and future support and God Bless You All…
TRUSTEE
LISA BARRA
My name is Lisa Barra, and I am honored to call Donna Spera a friend and to serve alongside her as a Board member. While time has softened September 11 for many, Donna lives with its impact every day. She transformed loss into purpose by founding Golfing for Heroes to ensure heroes and their families are never forgotten.
On September 11, 2001, I was commuting from Brooklyn to NJ, when the attacks unfolded. From the Verrazzano Bridge, I saw smoke rising from the skyline. As the towers fell, fear and heartbreak set in, and my sense of safety was forever changed.
More than two decades later, the pain remains for survivors, families, and first responders. That is why Golfing for Heroes’ mission is vital. Through remembrance and community support, the organization honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice, supports first responders and military heroes, and assists families, ensuring the legacy of September 11 lives on through action, compassion, and service.