Celebrating Donna Gitlitz: A Life of Service and Spirit
Celebrating Donna Gitlitz: A Life of Service and Spirit
On February 5, 2025, we had the great pleasure of celebrating our very own Donna Gitlitz, who was honored at the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence Dinner—a recognition richly deserved by someone who has spent her entire life giving back to our community.
A lifelong New Rochelle resident, Donna began her journey of service as a 15-year-old candy striper in a hospital. Since then, she has never stopped finding ways to lend a hand, lift others up, and make a difference.
Donna’s contributions to New Rochelle are wide and deep. She served on the PTA Council, where she helped shape key policy decisions, and was part of the original founding committee of the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence. That committee’s early work—including securing approval from the superintendent—paved the way for vital programs like SAT test prep, elementary school chess, and "Poetry Out Loud," a beautiful tribute to a young child who passed away at the age of eight and had a love of writing.
Beyond that, Donna has been a friendly face at the Fund’s annual pancake breakfast, helped organize coat drives, and of course, is a dedicated member of the Hudson Park Children’s Greenhouse committee, where she and her husband Neal have worked tirelessly at events like our Halloween Haunt.
In addition to her volunteering, Donna has spent 23 years working as a teaching assistant in the New Rochelle school district and continues to support children through after-school programming at the YMCA.
Her life has not been without its challenges—Donna was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and later colon cancer—but each time, after a brief pause, she came back stronger and more committed than ever to helping others. Her resilience, kindness, and unwavering spirit inspire all of us
Our Greenhouse committee was proud to fill a table at the NRfund dinner in her honor. Donna represents the very best of New Rochelle—generosity, community, and heart.
Thank you, Donna, for being a shining example of service. We are lucky to call you one of our own.