The Carpetology Blog: The Floor Covering Industry Foundation

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Floor Covering Industry Foundation

Were you aware that there exists an organization called the Floor Covering Industry Foundation [or FCIF for short]?

I mention it because a major fund raiser takes place this Thursday, September 25 in the Atlanta, GA area.

Just about every organization affiliated with flooring and carpet takes part in the FCIF in some manner, shape or form:

+ industry publications like Floor Covering Weekly and Floor Covering News;

+ flooring manufacturers and carpet mills like Mohawk, Shaw, Beaulieu, and Mannington;

+ carpet fiber producers like Solutia and Invista;

+ retailers like Kerns Carpet One [who contributed to a story about carpet maintenance] and PS America Inc.;

+ retailer cooperatives like Abbey Carpet and CCA Global ;

+ flooring associations like the World Floor Covering Association and the National Wood Flooring Association;

And many, many more.

Everyone involved in the industry takes what the FCIF does seriously. Because the FCIF has the following mission:

The Floor Covering Industry Foundation is dedicated to financially assisting those who are or have been affiliated with the floor covering industry who experience catastrophic illnesses, severe disabilities, or other life-altering hardships.

Anyone employed in the floor covering business for at least five years can apply. Grants are offered based on two criteria: catastrophic illnesses/injury and financial need.

The website lists a few examples of those it has assisted. For example, a 29-year-old paralyzed from the neck down as the result of a hit-and-run accident; a single parent’s two-year old son with a malignant tumor who required chemotherapy and continuing tests for cancer; a man who suffered a brain stem stroke at the age of 38 and is incapacitated with severe physical and cognitive impairment...

Real people, with real problems that the FCIF tries to alleviate.

I thought you'd like to know.