Hope Strengthens Foundation Drives Impact Through Golf
partner snapshot
In 2010, when Joe Merry was facing a long battle with cancer, his good friends Jacob Ferreira and James Fahey wanted to help. They organized a golf fundraiser to help cover his expenses while he was unable to work during cancer treatment, enabling him to focus solely on getting healthy during his recovery.
Hope Strengthens Foundation founders, from left: James Fahey, Joe Merry, and Jacob Ferreira.
While Joe went into remission and is cancer-free, Jacob and James realized that there was a pressing need for this type of help and support, and that their efforts were scalable. Hope Strengthens Foundation (HSF) was born out of Joe’s strength and courage and the desire to “do what we can to help people,” Jacob says.
They made a long-term commitment and strategy to provide the same support given to Joe to as many other people in need as possible. HSF’s mission is to provide critical financial support to individuals and families facing life-threatening illness, disability, or recovery from traumatic injuries.
the challenge
What was initially a one-off event evolved into a signature fundraiser for HSF to provide financial assistance for medical expenses, equipment purchases, travel costs, and other expenses, as well as scholarship programs to support students in need who are pursuing careers in healthcare. “We serve 50 to 100 families on an annual basis, primarily in New England, but have helped patients in 15 states,” Jacob says.
As the golf tournament grew, so did the complexity of managing its planning and execution. Manually collecting and managing team registrations, sponsorships, and donations placed a heavy administrative burden on Jacob and his team of volunteers. They needed a purpose-built solution for golf tournaments, one that would reduce the time spent on logistics and allow them to focus on what matters most: meeting urgent patient needs.
A dedicated event website made it simple to promote the tournament, register golfers, and sell sponsorships.
the solution
After researching donation platforms and event management tools, Jacob discovered GolfStatus. After watching a GolfStatus webinar and seeing a live demo, he was sold. “It was immediately clear that GolfStatus was built exactly for what we needed,” Jacob says. “The transition and onboarding were smooth, and it gave us everything in one place.”
HSF came on board with GolfStatus in 2022 to help:
Automate team and individual registrations. Jacob says online registration has been a game-changer for the tournament, collecting information and payment in one easy step without any manual lift.
Sell sponsorship packages and provide digital exposure. Sponsors could purchase their packages via the dedicated tournament website and upload logos and links, giving them instant exposure.
Streamline planning. Jacob says, “The administrative lift before GolfStatus was so much higher. It’s easier now to just push the link out to our networks and let the registrations roll in.”
Boost revenue with new sponsorships and add-ons. HSF leveraged GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship, pin flags, and hole-in-one insurance to round out its premium sponsorship offerings. They also received a donated Dormie Network Stay and Play package from the Dormie Network Foundation, which was included in the tournament’s live auction.
Hope Strengthens Foundation utilized GolfStatus’ branded pin flags offering.
GolfStatus became an essential planning partner for the golf outing, while backend support and customer service made the process even more seamless.
“The GolfStatus platform is exceptional, and the people behind it are just as exceptional.”
the results
The 2025 tournament marked its 13th year, raising over $56,000, which can immediately be put to use helping patients with care expenses. This take represents a 15% increase in sponsor revenue year-over-year, and the tournament continues to trend upwards in both turnout and dollars raised, due in part to GolfStatus’ solutions over the past few tournaments.
Jacob explains that the golf fundraiser, held each May, gets HSF through the first third of the year, which is mostly spent fundraising. “The golf tournament is a major pillar of our fundraising,” he says. His planning team is made up of about 10 volunteers who all love golf and love the sport’s ability to connect people and bring them together for an important cause.
The golf tournament is more than a fundraiser, it’s an opportunity for the community to connect around a cause and support patients.
more than a fundraiser
HSF’s golf tournament isn’t just a fundraiser; it’s a community gathering grounded in friendship, service, and impact. The field of golfers and sponsors typically return year after year and have evolved into regular donors to the Foundation.
By freeing up time, increasing efficiency, and supporting meaningful donor and participant engagement before, during, and after the tournament, GolfStatus lets Jacob and the volunteer planning team focus on enhancing the tournament experience each year. “Yes, the golf fundraiser is important for our mission, but the mission doesn’t happen without our supporters. A great experience is another way we can say thank you.” From a post-golf live auction led by NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque to a silent auction and heartfelt beneficiary stories, every detail of the tournament is intended to give participants the best possible memories of the event.
NHL Hall of Famer Ray Borque serves as the auctioneer at the post-round live auction.
What’s next?
Jacob says they’re always thinking about the tournament’s growth, but don’t want to dilute the player experience. They’re exploring adding a second course to double the number of golfers, but are being strategic so they don’t sacrifice the quality that participants have come to expect. The growth plan includes GolfStatus to continue to boost efficiency and drive revenue.
“Our partnership with GolfStatus has been instrumental in the tournament’s success. We can’t do it without the tech and expertise that lets us focus on our mission.”
From a mission standpoint, HSF will continue to strengthen its partnerships with area medical facilities’ patient service programs, including the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Pediatric Resource Program, Massachusetts General Cancer Center, and Home Base Veteran and Family Care in Massachusetts and Mass General Cancer Center at Wentworth Douglass Hospital in New Hampshire. Each hospital has a fund, subsidized by HSF, that supports patient needs identified by their care teams.
“Our goal is to quickly address the needs of these patients and families so they can focus on getting healthy,” Jacob says. “The golf tournament is a major driver to achieving that goal.”
golf for good with golfstatus
As a nonprofit, Hope Strengthens Foundation was able to utilize GolfStatus’ golf event management platform at no upfront cost. An event website made promoting the event, registering golfers, and selling sponsorships easy and efficient, and GolfStatus’ in-house client success team was there every step of the way to help make the golf tournament a success. Find out how you can take advantage of GolfStatus for your next golf event by booking a quick meeting with our team.