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23 Massachusetts Retailers Join Forces to Support 9/11 Families

23 Massachusetts Retailers Join Forces to Support 9/11 Families

Published 06-27-02

Submitted by Stop & Shop Companies

BOSTON, Massachusetts - On the week of the country's most patriotic holiday, 23 retailers in Massachusetts are joining forces to support local families who lost loved ones in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

From June 30 to July 6, more than 900 stores across Massachusetts will sell paper American "flags" for $1 each, with all proceeds going to the 177 Massachusetts families who had a relative killed in the events of September 11. The funds will be distributed through The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, a non-profit support organization providing financial, legal and counseling services for the families of 9/11 victims living in Massachusetts.

"While fundraising after September 11 has been phenomenal, it hasn't been enough for Massachusetts families," said Sirri Spiesel, Executive Director of the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund. Spiesel said although more than $1.3 billion has been raised nationwide for September 11-related causes, Massachusetts families have received a total of $5.4 million so far, an average of just over $30,000 a family.

Spiesel stressed how many of these families are in dire need of assistance, stating that more than 80 percent of 9/11 victims were their families' sole source of financial support.

"In most cases, these families were devastated emotionally and financially," she said. "They have mortgages and insurance bills to pay, and the money they've received, while appreciated, isn't enough to pay the everyday bills, never mind enough to try and get their lives together."

In a press conference held on June 26th, the Fund's Family Advisory Committee endorsed the campaign and thanked the public for not forgetting about them.

"The money (distributed by the Mass 9/11 Fund) is not used for vacations," said Abington resident and Family Advisory Committee Vice Chairperson Christie Coombs, whose husband Jeffrey was killed on September 11. "It's used to buy shoes for their kids, to buy food, to pay the everyday bills."

Retailers will ask donors to sign or otherwise personalize the paper flags, which will then be posted in most retail locations as a show of support. Retailers are hoping to raise upwards of $500,000 over the course of the week.

In a phenomenal show of support, 23 retailers will sell the flags for a total of 915 stores in Massachusetts. Retailers range from supermarkets to clothing outlets to furniture stores. The 23 retailers include: A.J. Wright, BJ's Wholesale Club, Big Y World Class Markets, Christmas Tree Shops, Cumberland Farms, Filene's, Filene's Basement, HomeGoods, Johnnie's Foodmaster, Jordan's Furniture, Li'l Peach, Marshalls, Omni Foods, Price Chopper, Roche Bros., Shaw's, Shop 'n Save, Star Market, Stop & Shop Supermarkets, Store 24, T.J. Maxx, Tedeschi Food Shops, and Walgreens.

While many of these retailers have conducted fundraisers for 9/11 victims in the past, participants have shown amazement at how quickly all 23 companies--in many cases direct competitors--agreed to join forces for the fundraiser.

The fundraiser has brought together not just Massachusetts retailers but also the media in newspapers, television and radio. Working with the Boston office of advertising firm Hill Holliday, more than 100 newspapers have pledged free advertising space for the fundraiser. In addition, all of Boston's major television stations and 56 Massachusetts radio stations also will help get the word out through donation of free air time.

The advertisements for the fundraiser, featuring New England Patriots players Lawyer Milloy and Richard Seymour, end with the phrase "Charity begins at home." The ads will began playing on June 23rd.

The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund was created in January 2002 with a $500,000 donation from Stop & Shop. To date, the organization has distributed $513,000 to Massachusetts families. Spiesel stressed that the families receive 100 percent of every dollar donated to the fund.

Spiesel hopes running the fundraiser through the Fourth of July holiday will resonate with consumers.

"As Americans, the Fourth of July is our biggest holiday, and this year, it should mean more than ever before," she said.

Media Contacts:

The media is invited to contact individual retailers to learn more about how they plan to promote the fundraiser within their own stores. Sign packages with the Mass 9/11 Fund logo and fundraising information will be prominently displayed in all participating retail outlets.

The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund
Sirri Spiesel, 617-310-6061

A.J. Wright/HomeGoods/Marshalls/T.J. Maxx (TJX Companies)
Laura McDowell, 508-390-2468

BJ's Wholesale Club
Annunziata Sodano 508-651-6857

Big Y World Class Markets
Claire D'Amour, 413-504-4004

Christmas Tree Shops
Doreen Bilezikian, 508-394-1206
Jim Haslam, 508-394-1206

Cumberland Farms
Foster Macrides, 781-828-4900 x 5266

Filene's
Robin Reibel, 617-357-2727

Filene's Basement
Pat Boudrot, 617-348-7273

Johnnie's Foodmaster
Geoff Harper, 617-660-1300 x 212

Jordan's Furniture
Heather Copelas, 508-580-4900 x 1155

Omni Foods
Suren Avedisian, 617-558-3364

Price Chopper
Barbara Page, 518-379-1294

Roche Bros.
Gary Pfeil, 781-694-5226

Shaw's/Star Market
Bernie Rogan, 508-313-3316

Shop 'n Save
Caren Epstein, 207-885-3132

Stop & Shop Supermarkets
Faith Weiner/Rob Keane, 617-770-6025

Tedeschi Food Shops/Li'l Peach/Store 24
Bob Tedeschi, 781-878-8210

Walgreens
Michael Polzin, 847-914-2925

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