Tom Oelkers Family Foundation

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Tom Oelkers Family Foundation Tom Oelkers battled World Trade Center cancer relentlessly & without complaint. He passed away on May 16, 2021. He had a tremendous work ethic.

It is impossible to articulate how much he is missed by his family and friends. Tom was a huge part of his community & Our Lady of Victory parish in Floral Park, New York. Tom’s world revolved around being a husband and Dad. He loved his girls; his wife Erika and their three daughters Camryn, Juliet, and Scarlett were the center of his world. Tom lived a life of service, first serving in the NYPD for 4 years & then as a firefighter for 19 years in the FDNY, Ladder 44. Tom was 26 years old when he responded to the World Trade Center 9/11 attacks and spent countless hours on the rescue and recovery effort. After joining the FDNY, Tom made his mark on the department as an elite member of Ladder 44. He was also one of the leaders of the FDNY Football Team that rebuilt the team after the 9/11 terrorist attacks which took the lives of many members. They eventually went on to win the Public Safety National Championship. We miss his bravery, selflessness, great sense of humor, and most of all, we just miss him. Through this foundation, we aspire to continue his spirit of service in helping other families in need.

$20 a month. That’s all it takes to make a real difference.Your monthly gift goes straight to work for first responder f...
10/14/2026

$20 a month. That’s all it takes to make a real difference.

Your monthly gift goes straight to work for first responder families when they need it most.

Small, steady support adds up. Become a monthly donor today at the link in bio.

You’re invited to Brave Hearts, Bright Futures, a happy hour benefiting the Tommy Oelkers Scholarship at Archbishop Moll...
10/10/2026

You’re invited to Brave Hearts, Bright Futures, a happy hour benefiting the Tommy Oelkers Scholarship at Archbishop Molloy High School.

đź—“ Thursday, November 5
📍 The Harrison, 86 S Tyson Ave, Floral Park
🍻 $100 includes b**r, w**e, seltzers and food

Every ticket helps send a student forward in Tommy’s name. This one will sell out, so grab yours today at the link in our bio.

Charging habits are one part of fire safety. Knowing what to do if a fire starts is the other.This Fire Prevention Week,...
10/07/2026

Charging habits are one part of fire safety. Knowing what to do if a fire starts is the other.

This Fire Prevention Week, take a few minutes to make a plan with your family. Test your smoke alarms, talk through how everyone gets out and pick a spot to meet outside. Then practice it together.

Firefighters protect our homes every day. When illness or hardship reaches their families, we’re there to help them. Support a first responder family through the link in our bio.

It’s Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s focus is safe charging.The batteries in our phones, laptops, e-bikes and scoo...
10/05/2026

It’s Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s focus is safe charging.

The batteries in our phones, laptops, e-bikes and scooters are part of everyday life, and a few simple habits help keep them from becoming a fire risk at home. Swipe for tips to share with the people you love.

Firefighters protect our homes every day. When illness or hardship reaches their families, we’re there to help them.

Support a first responder family through the link in our bio.

Tom Oelkers served at Ground Zero as an NYPD officer, then joined the FDNY and served at Ladder 44 in the Bronx.He later...
09/30/2026

Tom Oelkers served at Ground Zero as an NYPD officer, then joined the FDNY and served at Ladder 44 in the Bronx.

He later lost his fight with a World Trade Center illness. His wife Erika started this foundation so other first responder families wouldn’t face that fight alone.

Help us keep showing up. Link in bio.

$20 a month. That’s all it takes to start showing up for a first responder family facing illness or hardship.When a fire...
09/28/2026

$20 a month. That’s all it takes to start showing up for a first responder family facing illness or hardship.

When a firefighter or police officer gets sick, the bills and the worry don’t wait. Monthly gifts let us be there right away, not weeks later.

Tap the link in our bio to become a monthly donor.

The need never stops. Neither do we.

A nor’easter is hitting Long Island this weekend. Swipe for 5 ways to stay safe before and during the storm.Our first re...
09/25/2026

A nor’easter is hitting Long Island this weekend. Swipe for 5 ways to stay safe before and during the storm.

Our first responders will be out in the wind and flooding so you don’t have to be. Help them by staying home, staying off flooded roads, and calling 911 only for true emergencies.

Stay safe, Long Island.

The FDNY’s 25-year health report is a sobering reminder. More than 600 members have been lost to World Trade Center illn...
09/22/2026

The FDNY’s 25-year health report is a sobering reminder. More than 600 members have been lost to World Trade Center illness since the attacks, and thousands more are still fighting.

FF Tom Oelkers was one of the many responders lost to 9/11 illness. Families like his need support long after the headlines fade.

Swipe through, then help through the link in bio.

Last week, so many of you remembered. Thank you.FF Tom Oelkers of Ladder 44 worked at Ground Zero and later lost his lif...
09/18/2026

Last week, so many of you remembered. Thank you.

FF Tom Oelkers of Ladder 44 worked at Ground Zero and later lost his life to a WTC-related illness. His family isn’t the only one still living with that loss. The T.O. Family Foundation exists to help those families in their hour of need.

Keep the remembering going. Give monthly at the link in bio.

Happy birthday to Erika, whose vision turned personal loss into lasting support for first responder families. Every prog...
09/16/2026

Happy birthday to Erika, whose vision turned personal loss into lasting support for first responder families. Every program this foundation runs exists because she refused to let Tom’s legacy end with his passing.

The need never stops. Neither do we.

Address

P. O. Box 20868
Floral Park, NY
11001

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