History

It all began with sandwiches. Yes, the simple desire to donate $500 worth of sandwiches for frontline workers at Morristown Medical Center (MMC) in northern New Jersey during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The challenge was reaching someone who could schedule the deliveries and gain access to the right people.  Through Spring Brook Country Club connections, a pipeline between an ER nurse and the club was created. 

The sandwiches were just the beginning. Within the first two weeks, six pickup-truckloads of Gatorade, soda, water, and sandwiches were delivered from the club to the ER. The first week’s drive caught the eye of Fox News and shortly thereafter, David Bachman, General Manager and COO of Spring Brook, appeared on the “America Together” segment during the Fox & Friends morning show.

Suddenly, what had very much been a local story received a national spotlight. It also got the attention of Rob Goulet, CEO of Entertainment Sport Partners, Inc., and manager to professional golfer Ernie Els and that very afternoon, Bachman received a call from Goulet.

“Rob says, ‘Hey, I saw what you’re doing. What do you think about growing this nationally?’” recalled Bachman. “I was like, ‘Wow, sure. How do we do that?” 

The first step was getting other clubs in the surrounding communities involved. Bachman, a member of the New Jersey Chapter of the Club Management Association of America, put out a few calls and learned that Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City was in desperate need of supplies. He called John Dorman, General Manager at The University Club in New York, and the New York Athletic Club, getting both to pledge their support to Mount Sinai. He was also able to match up Deepdale Golf Club on Long Island with Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.

Goulet was also busy burning up the phone lines. He got Els to pledge his support to ClubsHelp and lined up video endorsements from 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus and former LPGA golfer Kris Tschetter, another client. Goulet also reached out to Gary Erickson, owner and founder of CLIFBar & Company, who donated close to 7 million CLIFBars to front-line healthcare workers around the country.

Goulet was able to get several large private-club management companies to partner with ClubsHelp, including Concert Golf Partners, ClubCorp, Arcis Golf, and the Dormie Network. In just two weeks, ClubsHelp had a network of nearly 300 clubs nationwide.

In April, 2020, ClubsHelp filed an application with the Internal Revenue Service for 501c(3) tax exempt status, which was approved shortly after Father’s Day. This was important for ClubsHelp because it meant all donations would be tax deductible.

By the end of 2020, ClubsHelp had a website and a full Board of Directors, led by Goulet. They also had a formula for connecting clubs with local charities in need.  The organization has become a national network of clubs whose mission is support causes and charities in their local communities, especially in times of need or crisis.

ClubsHelp has adopted the motto, “Care Locally. Unite Nationally,” and that’s exactly what it has been doing.