The annual Floor Covering News Fantasy Football for a Cause League closed this year with 12 teams: American Flooring Distributors, Consolidated Carpet, Dillabaugh’s Flooring America, FCNews, Flooring Lines, Great Northern Associates, Karndean, Mannington, Salesmaster, Republic Floor, Spartan Surfaces and Tarkett.
All teams are playing for worthy causes of their choice (see list below for a snapshot of each cause represented by the league’s participants). Each fantasy football team pledged several thousand dollars for a total of $60,000—funds that will be distributed to the teams’ respective charities over the course of the football season.
American Flooring Distributors
St. Jude
stjude.org
Founded by Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in Memphis, Tenn. St Jude is dedicated to advancing cures and prevention for pediatric diseases through research and treatment. No child is ever denied treatment and no family receives a bill from St. Jude, regardless of the duration or cost of care. Since its opening, treatments created on-site have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate in the United States from 20% to more than 80%. By 2030, its goal is to cure at least 60% of children with six of the most common kinds of cancer worldwide.
Consolidated Carpet
Friends of St. Dominic’s
sfds.org/friends
Friends of St. Dominic’s is the affiliated fundraising organization benefiting Saint Dominic’s Home. The organization and its donors share the vision of keeping children safe from abuse, neglect and homelessness as well as enabling productive lives for children and adults with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities. Friends of St. Dominic’s is guided by the faith, determination and generosity of others who believe there is a better tomorrow for every child.
Dillabaugh’s Flooring America
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
fca.org
Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes everywhere to practice Christian values while engaging in sports. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes serves communities across the world by engaging, equipping and empowering coaches and athletes to change the world through their faith. It offers virtual ministries, certified small group bible studies, sports camps that focus on both athletic skills and faith, international trips and more.
Floor Covering News
Angela’s House
Angelashouse.org
Angela’s House was created in 1992 by Bob Policastro in loving memory of his daughter, Angela, who had suffered severe brain damage during birth. With the lack of specialized homes and facilities in their area, the Policastros would end up driving over two hours to place Angela in a specialty hospital in Connecticut. After she passed away following her first birthday, the not-for- profit Angela’s House was created to offer families and professionals an agency in their area to help medically frail children and their families. The first home opened in 2000 in East Moriches, N.Y., offering a loving environment with 24-hour nursing care. The second home opened in 2005 in Smithtown, N.Y.
Flooring Lines
Compassion Express Foundation
compassionexpress.org
The Compassion Express Foundation was founded by Dustin Aaronson, FCNews co-publisher and advertising sales director, to make a difference in the lives of others in the communities of Long Island and the five boroughs. The foundation offers various programs such as community outreach, homeless outreach and holiday-Adopt-A-Family as well as the Brittany Vilar Scholarship. In October of 2014, Brittany Vilar was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and for the six years that followed she fostered 11 children. This scholarship recognizes qualities in others that Brittany possesses: strength, courage, resilience, faith and hope. Most recently, the Compassion Express Foundation distributed cold-weather clothing items and toiletry kits to those in need.
Great Northern Associates
ECMC Foundation
ecmcfoundation.org
The ECMC Foundation is a national foundation with a goal of improving post-secondary outcomes for students from underserved backgrounds. Its strategic grant-making focuses on college success and career readiness. The ECMC Foundation also makes program-related, below-market-rate investments through its education innovation ventures portfolio in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. While working hard to address the challenges and systemic barriers that students face, the foundation supports organizations and institutions that provide high-quality programs and envision a country where all learners have access to quality education and career opportunities.
Karndean
The West Moreland County Food Bank
westmorelandfoodbank.org
The Westmoreland Food Bank provides 18,000 individuals and families facing food insecurity in Westmoreland County, Pa., with fresh, nutritious foods and non-perishable items made possible by local donations, USDA commodities and government food assistance programs. The Westmoreland Food Bank is also part of Feeding America—the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization made up of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries.
Mannington
The Gary Sinise Foundation
garysinisefoundation.org
The Gary Sinise Foundation was founded by Gary Sinise, actor and 40-year advocate for the Armed Forces. The charity provides various programs dedicated to active duty, veterans, first responders and their families. The R.I.S.E program specifically builds specially adapted “smart homes” for those who were wounded serving their country. Not only are the homes customized to the needs of each family, but they are mortgage free. Additionally, the program provides home modifications, adapted vehicles and mobility devices to injured, ill, wounded and/or aging individuals.
Salesmaster
American Cancer Society
cancer.org
The American Cancer Society (ACS) was founded in 1913 by 10 doctors and five laypeople in New York City. At its inception, the organization was called the American Society for the Control of Cancer. Today, ACS is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.
The ACS has invested more than $5 billion in research since 1946. Through research and action, the society has contributed to a 26% decrease in the overall U.S. cancer death rate since 1991, which means the ACS has helped avoid nearly 2.4 million cancer deaths during that time. In addition to its work in the U.S., ACS also has global programs focused on lower-income countries.
Republic Floor
Ukraine Relief
As Republic Floor expands its global presence, it is working to ensure it contributes to the countries in which it operates in a positive way. That certainly applies to its operations in Ukraine, which has been fighting to counteract the effects of the Russian invasion that began just over seven months ago.
To that end, Republic has been providing support directly to one of its employees in Ukraine (Volodymyr), who has been actively acquiring essential medical supplies and equipment to those fighting to defend the country. Those interested in donating can send financial support to Volodymyr’s PayPal account at: petrenkovladimir0108@gmail.com.
Spartan Surfaces
Harford Family House
harfordfamilyhouse.org
Since 1989, Harford Family house has provided housing, support and resources to more than 2,000 people in 700 families struggling with homelessness in Harford County. By merging with Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United (FCCAU), the charity is able to serve anyone in Harford County in need of assistance with the Welcome One Emergency Shelter that provides individuals with a safe space to sleep. This includes: clean linens, a locker, access to showers and laundry facilities, three meals and professional case management services. Its mission is to assist families in achieving independence through housing, support and resources.
Tarkett
Tunnel to Towers
t2t.org
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded by the Siller family in honor of Stephen Gerard Siller, a dedicated firefighter who was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1 on Sept., 11, 2001. Upon driving his truck to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and finding the entrance closed, he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back and ran through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave his life saving others. Since 9/11, Tunnel to Towers has been providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families as well as building smart homes for injured veterans and first responders.
