Tile Partners for Humanity Announces
Board of Directors
(ATLANTA, GA)— Tile Partners for Humanity
(TPFH), a nonprofit partnership between the tile
industry and Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI),
recently announced the formation of its board of
directors.
TPFH provides donated tile products, installation
labor and other support to HFHI, an international
nonprofit working to eliminate substandard housing
around the world. Industry partners have participated
in large- and small-scale projects with HFHI, including
the Jimmy Carter Work Project in LaGrange and Valdosta,
Ga., in June 2003 and a number of single-home projects
across the country.
TPFH pledged, on behalf of the industry, to provide
Habitat with $250,000 worth of materials and labor
per year for a minimum pledge of $1,250,000 over
five years.
The TPFH board includes Rick Church, Executive Director
of the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association; Bob
Daniels, President of the Board of the Ceramic Tile
Education Foundation; Gray LaFortune, Executive Director
of the Ceramic Tile Institute of America; Bart Bettiga,
Executive Director of the National Tile Contractors
Association; Curt Rapp, CEO of The Tile Doctor.com; and Eric Astrachan, Deputy
Executive Director of the Tile Council of America.
Board members elected Rapp, who co-founded TPFH
with LaFortune, as chairman of the board. Bettiga
will serve as vice chairman and Astrachan will serve
as secretary/treasurer.
The board will work to raise awareness within the
industry of TPFH and the value associated with participating
in TPFH/Habitat projects. Additionally, members will
help solicit donations of materials, labor and funding
for projects and continued operations.
Bettiga recognized his role and the contribution
of the NTCA and contractors in the organization.
“I am delighted to have been chosen by Tile
Partners for Humanity for inclusion on its board
of directors. For many years, I have admired the
collaborative efforts of all those involved in Habitat
for Humanity. The need for affordable and quality
housing is enormous. Our industry has enjoyed outstanding
growth in recent years, and one way to give back
to our respective communities is through the support
of this project. Ceramic tile is an excellent product
to be considered for Habitat homes. I look forward
to doing my part to help make a difference in people’s
lives.”
TPFH solicits donations of tile, installation materials,
installation labor, tile tools, tile cleaners, and
other support for Habitat projects. Typically, TPFH
provides floor tile for the kitchen/dining area,
entryway, and bathrooms in a Habitat home. Partners
have helped to tile 50 homes this year.
Millard Fuller told industry representatives in
January of this year, “I would like to see
every Habitat home in North American, at a minimum,
have tile in the entrance, kitchen and bathroom.
Those are the heavily-trafficked areas that ought
to be easy to clean.”
There are more than 1,700 active Habitat affiliates
in North America with a singular goal to build 100,000
homes by 2005, and ceramic tile plays an important
role in this initiative by providing simple, decent
homes built with lasting quality. Habitat also builds
in 89 countries worldwide.
For more information on TPFH or the benefits of
donating materials or labor, please visit the website
at www.tpfh.com. Contact Ally Fertitta, executive
director, for more information or to contribute materials,
labor or funding.
This article was reprinted with the permission of
TileDealer. For more information, please contact
editor@tiledealer.org or visit www.tiledealer.org.
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