501(c)(3) Stand-Alone Non-Profit Organization Announcement

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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – August 1, 2019 – Since its inception in early 2018, the Carney Strong Initiative partnered with the non-profit organization Brothers Helping Brothers for daily operations. Carney Strong Initiative works with several companies to provide occupational cancer prevention materials and supplies smaller and rural fire departments throughout the country.

 

In October 2017, Battalion Chief Josh Carney passed away at age 41 from a brief but aggressive battle with Stage 4 Melanoma due to his occupation. To raise awareness of firefighter occupational cancer, his family partnered with Tonya Herbert (Cronin), founder of Responder Wipes, to launch the Carney Strong Initiative. Working through the non-profit organization Brothers Helping Brothers, the initiative selects one small volunteer, combination, or paid fire department each month to provide firefighters with educational materials and decontamination products. Products donated to the departments are from Responder Wipes, Last Line of Cancer Defense, Solutions Safety Products & Services, Firewipes, and Firefighter Cancer Consultants.

 

Initially, the plan for the Carney Strong Initiative was to donate products for a few months and later determine the need for continuation of the program.  Due to the overwhelming amount of grant requests from departments across the country, members of Carney Strong have determined that the need for education and support is substantial. Over the course of the past few months, the members have worked diligently to establish the Carney Strong Initiative as a stand-alone non-profit organization separate from Brothers Helping Brothers.

 

Brothers Helping Brothers provided valuable resources and support since Carney Strong’s inception. Though Brothers Helping Brothers will no longer have a role within the operations of Carney Strong, they will continue to assist with the mission of cancer prevention within the fire service by serving on the Board of Directors. Thus far, this initiative could not have aided as many firefighters and fire departments without their guidance and generosity.

 

Board of Directors/Officers:

Lillian Carney:                 Executive Director and President

Kristine Powers:              Director, Co-Founder, Vice-President, and Treasurer

Dan Spetland:                 Director at Large and Secretary

Tonya Herbert (Cronin):  Director at Large and Co-Founder

Nick Magoteaux:             Director at Large

 

For more information, request a grant, sponsor a department, or to donate to the Carney Strong Initiative, please visit:

Website:          www.CarneyStrong.org

Email:              Info@CarneyStrong.org

Phone:             843-902-7095

 

The Carney Strong Initiative assists fire departments throughout the country with occupational cancer prevention through education and the donation of decontamination supplies. Our focus is on smaller fire departments in suburban and rural locales comprised of volunteer, combination, and career staffing. Our purpose is to help combat occupational cancer to ensure that firefighters go home to their family, so they don't suffer at the hands of this dreadful disease.    

EIN #83-4669289

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