C&R Flooring is proud to announce that its president, Chris Zizza, is a 2013 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) presents the prestigious medals annually to American citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life. Past recipients include Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Martin Scorsese, Brooke Shields, Bill Clinton, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“This is an incredible honor,” Zizza said. “I am very aware of my roots and I marvel at the bravery it took for my grandparents to come to America for a better life for their family. With every opportunity that comes my way, I say a little thank you to them for bringing us to this great country.”
Zizza also takes every opportunity to give back. Through C&R Flooring, Zizza provided materials, labor, and expertise to many charitable projects including the Room to Dream Foundation. He has helped various church organizations and community-based renovations including the Emanuel House in Boston, an inner-city youth center that was renamed the Peter Giambanco Gymnasium in honor of Zizza’s grandfather. C&R also donated all the labor for a house renovation in Medfield, Mass., featured on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” installing 3,700 square feet of flooring in seven hours.
Zizza also personally supports several charities including the Catholic Charities of Boston, the Rodman Ride for Kids, the Friends of the Valley Foundation (which he co-founded), and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. He participated and received honors for his hurricane relief efforts in both Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Hurricane Irene in Southern Vermont.
“Ellis Island has always been a symbol of opportunity, a gateway to a new life,” Zizza said. “But I think it also symbolized – and still symbolizes today – an opportunity for people of all ethnicities to come together and create a new and better country. America is the great melting pot where everyone can succeed. But it is also a country where people lend a helping hand to those who need it.”
The 27th Ellis Island Medals of Honor will be presented on Saturday, May 11, 2013. Zizza is one of 97 people to receive the medal this year – chosen from thousands of nominees submitted from all over the country. NECO welcomes nominations of any living U.S. citizen, native or naturalized, who: lives a life dedicated to helping others, whether at a community or national level; preserves and celebrates the history, traditions and values of their ancestry group while being valuable citizens of the United States; strives for tolerance and acceptance between ethnic, racial and religious groups in the United States and abroad; or shares their personal and/or professional gifts for the benefit of humanity.