Over 550 gifts donated by the J-Team for the 2018 holiday season

Over 550 wrapped holiday gifts were delivered by Jordan's Furniture to area Head Start Programs to help make the holidays brighter for lots of local children…courtesy of the Jordan's employees, The J Team. The gifts were distributed to seven (7) different schools within the communities where there are Jordan's store locations. It was all part of the Jordan's Furniture 2018 Head Start Holiday Gift Program. The wrapped holiday gifts were delivered to the schools a week before Christmas, so that teachers could distribute to the students or could give to parents to use on Christmas morning. Participating J Team members chose a child's name and then purchased and wrapped a gift to donate to that specific child. When thanked for delivering the gifts to the school, one Jordan's driver said: "It's one of my favorite deliveries all year!"

Jordan's Furniture has partnered with area Head Start programs during the holiday seasons since 2009, with all donated gifts directly benefiting the children and the families within the schools. Head Start programs promote school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by supporting their development in a comprehensive way. The programs within Head Start support early learning, health, and family well-being. Jordan's Furniture is proud to make the holidays brighter for these very special children.

New Haven, CT – December 7, 2019 – Connecticut's most popular and Marconi winning morning team, Chaz & AJ, hosted their annual "Chaz and AJ McDermott Chevrolet and Lexus Toy Drive" on Friday December 7 2019, from 5:30am – 10am, at Jordan's Furniture in New Haven.

The show featured musical performances from Corey Glover of Living Colour, Janet Gardner of Vixen, Joe Bouchard of the Blue Oyster Cult, Carmine and Vinny Appice of Rod Stewart's band, local cover band the Odd Fellas and the students of the Rock House School.

The event also featured appearances from Governor Elect Ned Lamont, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, plus other political dignitaries.

The annual event broke last years' record raising 192,638.56 in toys and cash for local children's charities like Boys and Girls Village in Milford, Rite Way 4 Kids in New Haven, McGivney Community Center in Bridgeport, Chemical Abuse Services Agency Inc. in New Haven and Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

"The amount of generosity from our listeners today was incredible," said a jubilant Chaz, "We are going to make a lot of kids happy this holiday season".

"What an unbelievable morning!" says Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "Seeing all of these generous people here today with their arms full of toys is simply amazing. There are going to be so many kids within our community who will have a brighter holiday, due to this event. We're proud to be a part of Chaz and AJ's Toy Drive again this year, with our friends at 99.1 PLR."

Special thanks to our sponsors McDermett Chevrolet and Lexus, Jordan's Furniture, Bankwell and the Water Doctor.

Connoisseur Media owns and/or operates 31 radio stations in 8 markets.

Event for foundation families with Down Syndrome children

(Avon, MA) – Hundreds of smiling guests attended the 2018 Genesis Foundation's Holiday Patient Party on Sunday morning December 9 at the Enchanted Village inside Jordan's Furniture's Avon store. The event was held for families with Down Syndrome children. The excited guests gathered to enjoy the iconic village display, indoors ice skating, face painting, breakfast, games, gifts, and a special visit from Santa. They also experienced Polar Express 4D The Ride, The Laser LITE Holiday Spectacular show, and delicious Jordan blueberry muffins. Each child received a specific gift and had a photo taken with Santa Claus. The Genesis Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for the specialized care and treatment of New England-area children born with birth defects, genetic diseases and intellectual disabilities. Jordan's Furniture has been a long-time supporter of the Genesis Foundation and of the work by the late Dr. Murray Feingold, founder of the organization.

Photo credit: Steve Lipofsky

Families enjoy a private viewing of The Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture in Avon

(Avon, MA) – Jordan's Furniture in Avon hosted a private viewing at the historic "Enchanted Village" holiday display for families adopting children from state foster care.

In honor of National Adoption Month, Jordan's Furniture welcomed over 500 guests from these special families to tour the Enchanted Village on Sunday morning, November 18 2018 from 9:00am – 11:00am, before the store opened to the public. This private, annual event was for families who have adopted a child from state foster care during 2018.

In addition to the iconic Enchanted Village display, guests were treated to a light breakfast, the Polar Express 4D Ride, the Holiday Laser LITE Show, Santa, an indoor skating rink called Enchanted Ice, a stiltwalker, balloon artistry, and face painting.

The 8,000-square-foot Enchanted Village attraction includes dozens of mechanized figurines and animals in a traditional New England holiday scene. Originally displayed at the Jordan Marsh department store, the Enchanted Village hadn't been open to the public since 2006 until Jordan's Furniture re-launched the fully restored display in 2009 and added to the experience with new attractions.

For over 20 years, Jordan's Furniture has partnered with the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) to help find permanent families for children in foster care. Jordan's Furniture has hosted adoption events to educate the public about adoption from foster care and facilitate matches between prospective adoptive parents and children in need of adoption. This "Enchanted" event was to thank the families who have stepped forward to give children in state care a loving, nurturing home and to celebrate foster care adoption. To date, over 460 children have found adoptive families through the Jordan's initiatives.

"We are thrilled to continue our support of the adoption and foster care community," says Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "We meet so many wonderful children and families through our initiatives. Celebrating with them, especially during National Adoption Month and during the holiday season, is very special."

MARE is a private, non-profit organization, founded in 1957 to find "a permanent place to call HOME" for children and teens in foster care, including sibling groups and children who are traditionally harder to place.

For more information on adopting a child or teen from foster care, please visit www.MAREinc.org or call MARE at (617) 964-6273.

Families and Eliot interviewed

The usual sounds of an operating warehouse were hushed for a few hours on Monday Oct 22 at Jordan's Furniture's 900,000 square foot Taunton MA Distribution Center so that a large-scale tv shoot could take place amongst the dock doors and the furniture racks. Boston 25 TV was on site to tape a segment about adoption, one part of a 3-part half hour show that the tv station is producing in celebration of National Adoption Day. TV anchor Blair Miller, himself an adoptive parent, hosted the “town hall style” set where adoptive families gathered to be a part of the piece. Jordan's President and CEO, Eliot Tatelman, was also asked to be a part of the program. “Due to the amount of work that Jordan's has contributed to the adoption community, it made sense to tape the segment at one of their locations”, said Miller, the producer of the show. “Also, we were looking for an industrial setting for the town-hall style Q & A session, so it was a great fit.” Adoptive families spoke about their adoption experience, both from the adult's perspective and the child's perspective. Eliot spoke about Jordan's involvement in the adoption and foster care community. “We have been working to find adoptive families for kids in foster care for about 20 years. During that time, we have helped to find homes for over 450 children. There is nothing better!” The final half-hour show will air on National Adoption Day Friday November 16 at 10:30pm on Boston 25 TV. Shorter on-air promos about adoption will run throughout the month, leading up to the show.

Collections at all Jordan’s Furniture stores, Anton’s Cleaners and Enterprise Bank locations

Adult, child and infant coats needed to fulfill our mission:  
“Anyone who needs a coat will have one.”

When household expenses are high and temperatures are low, a warm winter coat isn’t a luxury… it is a necessity. This year, there are thousands of individuals – adults, children and infants - who will go without a warm winter coat this winter, and Coats for Kids and its legion of caring collection partners and distribution network is ready to help for the 24th annual Coats for Kids Drive.  Sponsored by Anton’s Cleaners, Jordan’s Furniture and Enterprise Bank, the drive  kicks off October 15th and runs through January 6, 2019.

In 2018, the organization reached a poignant milestone: one million coats collected and distributed since the program began in 1995… 1,027,625, to be exact.

Since coats are a necessity for both adults and kids, all donated coats are cleaned free of charge by Anton’s Cleaners and distributed through distribution partners made up of major local nonprofit and social service agencies such as Massachusetts Community Action Programs, Salvation Army, Middlesex Human Service Agency, Women’s Lunch Place, BU Medical Center Outreach Van Project, Wish Project, Community Giving Tree, Mental Health Association of Greater Lowell, Strafford County Community Action, Catholic Charities, and many more.

Coats for Kids accepts warm winter coats that are gently used, good quality, and all sizes (especially XL and infant/pre-K sizes). The drive does not accept coats with rips, tears, broken zippers, or permanent stains, nor can we accept sweatshirts, vests and spring coats. Coats are accepted through January 6th at all Jordan's Furniture stores, Antons Cleaners locations and Enterprise Bank branches.

“Every year, the kindness of our customers who donate thousands of gently used coats continues to floor us," says Eliot Tatelman, Jordan's Furniture President and CEO. "We are proud to continue our support to Caring Partners’ Coats for Kids, helping families in the communities we serve.”

Coats for Kids is New England's largest coat drive, with more than 250 school groups making up one half of all collections in 2017. Local public, parochial and independent schools experience the rewards of community service and get incentivized through the School Rewards Program™ offering editable promotional flyers and great prizes to the schools who collect the most coats per capita – leveling the playing field so everyone has a chance to win. See website for registration form and details: https://antons.com/cfk/get-involved/register-your-school/.

Partners for this year’s Coats for Kids drive include Anton's Cleaners, Jordan's Furniture, Enterprise Bank, Boston 25 Cares, WickedLocal, Kiss 108FM, Jam'n 94.5, 101.7 The Bull, WBZ 1030, The New 97.7, WRKO, and 100.7 WZLX.

To register your school or company online to participate or donate, or for more information, visit https://antons.com/cfk. Follow Coats for Kids on Facebook and Twitter (@antons_cfk)

A record number of guests attend to support foster care adoption!

(Reading, MA) – a record-breaking number of guests attended the 2018 Adoption Option at Jordan's Furniture in Reading MA on Sunday September 23, all is support of foster care adoption. Jordan's Furniture hosts the annual event in collaboration with the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) to help find permanent families for children in state foster care. Adults and families interested in learning more about adoption were invited to this free, informational event. There were also over 160 children in foster care at the Adoption Option.

"During the countless years that we have been hosting the Adoption Option, many homes have been found for many children so, clearly, it works!" says Jordan's Furniture President and CEO Eliot Tatelman. "In this day and age of technology, it is still essential to run events where adults and children have face time together. We continue to support the adoption and foster care communities because we see so many positive outcomes and successful matches from our efforts," Tatelman concludes.

Over 800 guests showed up early Sunday morning on September 23 at the Jordan's store in Reading MA to find out about adopting a child from foster care. At the beginning of the event, the guests attended a workshop in the IMAX theater to learn about the adoption process in general. Then, they had the opportunity to meet with social workers and with experienced adoptive parents for private conversations. In the Beantown area of the store, guests enjoyed family entertainment, games, refreshments, and activities designed to encourage interaction with waiting children.

"Among all of the ways in which we educate and connect families to waiting children, adoption events such as The Adoption Option provide families with the most opportunity to invest in the matching process", said MARE's Executive Director Lisa Funaro. "We are delighted to celebrate over twenty years of partnering with Jordan's Furniture to increase recruitment opportunities for children in foster care. Because of their investment over 450 children have found an adoptive family."

MARE and Jordan's Furniture are pleased to be celebrating 20-years of collaboration. What started as a simple recruitment project request from MARE to the nationally-known 6-store furniture retailer has grown to include several key stakeholders working together in order to make a significant difference in accelerating the path to permanency for waiting children. The Jordan's Initiative Advisory Board is committed to making a difference in the lives of children in foster care by ensuring that each child grow up in a loving family. The Board is made up of representatives from Jordan's Furniture, including Eliot Tatelman, MARE, DCF and private agencies working together to promote "the best interest of the child" as the paramount consideration in all placement and permanency decisions. The Board is committed to supporting the racial, ethnic and linguistic heritage of our children and their families. The Board is committed to maintaining relationships among siblings and helping each child achieve their full potential and enter adulthood successfully.

As a direct result of The Jordan's Initiative and successful partnership, over 450 children have been placed into adoptive homes through a variety of supported programs and initiatives. For more information about Jordan's Furniture and their charity engagement please visit www.jordans.com/about-us/charities.

Pawtucket, RI—Jordan's Furniture delivered a truck full of like-new youth baseball equipment to the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket, all to be donated to the organization's baseball league and supporting over 400 area youth in-need. The donations were a result of Jordan's Furniture's 2018 Rhode Island Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program, in partnership with the Pawtucket Red Sox. "We started this program to be able to supply the baseball equipment to youth who might not otherwise have the opportunity to play," says Eliot Tatelman, Jordan's President and CEO. "And we could not ask for a better partner than the Pawtucket Red Sox." Donated equipment is collected throughout the baseball season at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket RI during all home games and at the Jordan's store at the Warwick Mall. There are also incentives throughout the season, such as getting a free GA PawSox ticket when making a donation during specific games.

"It's life-changing for some of these kids", say Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Jim Hoyt when speaking emotionally about the club's baseball league. "The experience not only teaches them about teamwork but it is also a huge self-esteem boost, once these kids realize that they are good at playing this sport. The donation made by Jordan's Furniture allows them to be able to participate. It's a win for the kids and it's a win for the community. We are very grateful for the donation and for the partnership."

Jordan's Rhode Island Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program starts in April and concludes in September each year.

BOSTON, M.A.—From June 28 through August 19, all Jordan's Furniture store locations and the Taunton Distribution Center collected new and like-new clothing and shoes in support of Cradles to Crayons' Ready for School program—which provides local low-income and homeless children with the essential items needed for a successful school year. Thanks to the generosity of customers, the Jordan's Furniture donation will help more than 3,000 local children start their school year prepared and dressed for success, from head to toe. A delivery of the donation from Jordan's Furniture to the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory took place, along with a $500 check presented from Jordan's to Cradles to Crayons. The Giving Factory is located at 155 North Beacon Street in Brighton, MA.

"I remember the first day of school when I was a kid," says Eliot Tatelman, President/CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "It is so important to be prepared and with so many kids right here in our communities who are in need, we are thrilled to be able to deliver a truck filled with donations to the Cradles to Crayons' Giving Factory." He concludes, "The donations from our wonderful customers come at a crucial time of year, when so many ready-for-school items have already been distributed. It means a lot to us that this collaboration with Cradles to Crayons is impactful to the children throughout the state. We are proud to be a partner!"

"We work with children who are DCF involved and often don't have many items of their own," said Wendy Riley, Children's Services of Roxbury. "Getting a backpack or clothing to start the school year gives some of them a sense of pride and makes them feel that they can be equal to their peers. Kids just do not want to feel different or left out. Cradles to Crayons makes a difference in the lives of the children we serve."

Cradles to Crayons is committed to the belief that "Quality=Dignity," ensuring all distributed essentials meet high quality standards so kids will feel comfortable with their peers and can focus on learning. Volunteers at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory® in Brighton, MA help sort, inspect, and assemble donations into individually-tailored KidPacks that go directly to local children ages birth to 12 years old through Cradles to Crayons' network more than 130 Service Partners—agencies such as MSPCC, Horizons for Homeless Children, Head Start Programs and more. This latest donation from Jordan's Furniture marks the sixth year of this integral partnership, which has helped more than 16,000 children to date.

"We want all children to start the school year with the resources required for them to focus on academic engagement and success," said Cradles to Crayons Founder and CEO, Lynn Margherio. "I am deeply grateful to Jordan's and to their customers for providing clothing, shoes, and other essentials to support kids in our communities. This partnership—which continues to grow every year—is an important source of support for our Ready for School program and for the children we serve."

For more information about all of Cradles to Crayons' programs, https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston. To find out more about all of Jordan's Furniture's philanthropic initiatives, visit www.jordans.com.

BOSTON, M.A.—June 25, 2018—Starting June 25 and running through August 19, all Jordan’s Furniture store locations will collect donations of new and gently used clothing and shoes for children ages birth to twelve years old in support of Cradles to Crayons®’ Ready for School program. This marks the 12^th year of Cradles to Crayons’ school preparedness program, which provides local Massachusetts homeless and low-income children with the essential back-to-school supplies and clothing needed to start the year prepared and excited to learn. The Cradles to Crayons/Jordan’s Furniture partnership, now in its seventh year, has supported 18, 447 children to date.

“We are so proud to continue our partnership with Cradles to Crayons and to support their Ready for School program,” said Eliot Tatelman, Jordan’s President and CEO. “I remember my first days of school and all of the memories of each one. It is so important for every child to feel worthy. By working with the team at Cradles to Crayons, we hope to do our part in helping area children get ready for school and be prepared to learn. Through the generosity of our wonderful customers, we know that our donation drives have made an impact during the last five years. We hope for the same success this year.”

Cradles to Crayons was founded in 2002 with the mission of providing children from birth to age twelve with the clothes, toys, school supplies, shoes, and other essentials they need to thrive. The organization provides these items free of charge by working through a network of Service Partners like City Connects, Self Help, Boston Public School District, and others to distribute customized KidPacks, containing a week’s worth of clothing and critical items. Cradles to Crayons is a trusted resource to families in need, to the partners who serve those families, and to families, corporations, and individuals looking for ways to make tangible differences in their own communities. Ready for School will serve 70,000 children this year between June 1 and September 30.

“Jordan’s Furniture has been an invaluable supporter of our Ready for School program for the past five years. Their efforts will ensure that thousands of children enter the classroom with clothing they can be proud of and the confidence and excitement that come with feeling prepared. We thank Jordan’s Furniture for spreading awareness and bringing community members together to give back in a meaningful way,” said Cradles to Crayons Founder and CEO, Lynn Margherio. “On behalf of the kids we serve, we would like to thank Jordan’s for their continued dedication to supporting local children in need.”

The two-month donation drive— through August 19—takes place at all store locations in Avon, MA; Reading, MA; Natick, MA; Nashua, NH; New Haven, CT; and Warwick, RI; along with the Jordan’s Distribution Center in East Taunton, MA and strives to provide every child with essentials of the highest quality. Accepted clothing donations (pants, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, etc. and NEW pajamas, socks, and undergarments) should be like-new or new, with no rips, stains, or tears in Youth sizes 0 to 18/20 and Adult sizes Small and Medium. Shoe donations include sneakers, school shoes, and boots in sizes infant to adult 10.

For more information, visit www.jordans.com or https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston.

Jordan's Furniture Hosts Adoption Party

Boston, MA - Jordan's Furniture hosted the Fenway Park Adoption Grand Slam event in Boston on Sunday, June 3rd.The event benefited Massachusetts foster children awaiting adoption and the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) in its ongoing mission to find adoptive homes for children and teens in foster care. The Fenway Park Adoption Grand Slam event was invitation-only and was not open to the public.

Hundreds of guests attended this special event, all to help to find homes for children in foster care. It offered a fun-filled day for children currently in foster care awaiting an adoptive connection. Families who hope to adopt from foster care were also invited and met with social workers one-on-one about specific children. Other guests included experienced adoptive families, along with a "plus one" invitation that they shared with someone in their life who is interested in adopting from foster care. The morning offered a wonderful opportunity to anyone who is considering, or is in the process of pursuing, adoption from foster care.

"Fenway Park is the premier Boston destination for families. And Jordan's has been a part of the Red Sox family and the MARE family for many, many years…so why not bring everyone together to help create even more families? It's perfect!" said Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "This adoption event will, hopefully, result in lots of matches between children and families. Plus, we also hope to recruit new families who might have thought about the concept of foster care adoption but have never moved forward. Fenway is a great place to create a fun, casual atmosphere where all of these different groups can come together and to get to know each other," Tatelman said. "I am happy to be a part of it…but I will be even happier when I find out about the connections made during this special day."

Families experienced an amazing day of fun while they explored the dugouts, took photos by the manual scoreboard (near the green monster) and relaxed in the bleachers. They also experienced a virtual reality dugout. In addition, children awaiting an adoptive connection had a unique opportunity to pose at home plate and see themselves on the Jumbo Tron.

MARE focuses on children in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) who cannot be reunited with their birth families, including those who are considered more difficult to place – teens, sibling groups, and children with emotional, physical, and intellectual challenges. These children are in need of adoptive families and a place to call home. While there are stages in the adoption process for applicants, there is no cost to adopt from Massachusetts foster care and adopters can be homeowners or renters with an income source that will allow them to support the child.

"We are so pleased that our partners at Jordan's Furniture have created this unique opportunity to allow waiting children, adoptive families and those interested in learning about adoption to share such a memorable experience", said Lisa Funaro, Executive Director of MARE. "It is such a great opportunity for the youth to experience an amazing day of fun and play. For families who are interested in adoption, or for those who are in the process of adopting, it allows them to share in this amazing event and meet others who have walked the same path."

This invitational event, along with numerous other events throughout the year and across the Commonwealth, provides a solid connection to adoption from foster care. For more information about how you can become an adoptive parent, to register to attend an upcoming event, or to simply get answers to your questions, please contact the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange at mareinc.org or by phone at 617.964.6273. .

Jordan's Furniture hosted 5K Sunday May 20, 2018

Over $90,000 raised!

Taunton, MA - Jordan's Furniture, New England's premiere furniture retailer, hosted the 9th Annual Walk/Run for Adoption on Sunday, May 20 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at its Taunton facility. This event benefited the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) in its ongoing mission to find adoptive homes for children and teens waiting in foster care. Over 500 participants walked/ran and over $90,000 was raised for MARE.

MARE focuses on children in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) who cannot be reunited with their birth families, including those who are considered more difficult to place – teens, sibling groups, and children with emotional, physical, and intellectual challenges. These children are in need of adoptive families and a place to call home.

"What a great way to celebrate foster care adoption…through an event that celebrates families", says Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "I love this event and am so proud to host it each year", he continues. "It is such a wonderful feeling to know that we helped to bring children and parents together to create families. It does not get any better! MARE has been a crucial partner during our 20-year commitment to the adoption community."

The family-friendly event kicked off at 10:00 am with a 5K race followed by an after party filled with food, music, and activities including face painting, balloon artistry, glitter tattoos, a family photo booth, arts and crafts, and a parkour challenge.

By participating in the event, walkers and runners helped to change a child's life by supporting MARE's work to recruit adoptive parents for children and youth in state care. Nationwide, there are over 110,000 children waiting in foster care, in need of adoption. In Massachusetts, nearly 2,800 children currently in foster care have the goal of adoption, and more than 850 of those children have no relative or other potential adopter. Older, school-aged children, sibling groups, children of color and/or children with special needs tend to wait the longest for families.

MARE's Executive Director, Lisa Funaro, shared, "Through the generous support of participants and donors, we are able to continue in our mission to place children and teens from foster care into loving adoptive homes." She went on to say, "This event isn't just about providing the necessary funds required to do our crucial work, it's also about the camaraderie that families and children experience when doing something meaningful in the company of others who have walked the same path. It's about celebrating adoption and acknowledging the joy that children bring to a family. So many now include this activity in their annual family schedule because they get a chance to meet-up and have fun with other families that they have met over the years."

Organizations sponsoring the event include EY, KPMG, Hub Parkour Training Center, Wellesley Bank Charitable Foundation, Insource Services, Brookline Bank, Florence Electric, and Webster One Source.

To learn about adoption from foster care, contact MARE at 617-964-MARE (617-964-6273) or visit www.MAREinc.org.

Donated equipment delivered to Fenway Park for The Red Sox Foundation

TAUNTON, Mass. – Jordan's Furniture delivered a truck full, literally, of baseball and softball equipment to Fenway Park for the Red Sox Foundation's 2018 inner city youth baseball and softball program. Over 32 boxes (the size of living room recliners!) were filled with donated equipment.

Through their Double Play Youth Donation Program, Jordan's Furniture collected like-new, clean baseball and softball equipment at all store locations to donate to the Red Sox Foundation's RBI youth baseball and softball league teams.

"In this day and age of pay-to-play, there are thousands of kids that just cannot afford to play sports," said Eliot Tatelman of Jordan's Furniture. "We think that every youth should be able to enjoy America's favorite pastime, so we created the Double Play Youth Donation Program. And with the help of the Red Sox Foundation, we are able to reach a lot of inner-city kids in our area."

"The Red Sox Foundation's RBI and Rookie League program is often the first introduction to baseball for many Boston inner-city kids, and with over 1,600 boys and girls participating, we are always in need of equipment," said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Bekah Salwasser. "We are grateful to Jordan's Furniture for their annual equipment collection and value the consistent dedication they have had for this program each year."

This is the eighth year that Jordan's has run the charitable collection program. To see all of Jordan's charitable programs, visit our Charities page.

Over 225 youth in attendance and are honored at the 2018 Youth Achievement Celebration

SPECIAL GUESTS – GOVERNOR BAKER AND MRS. BAKER

Reading, MA – on Sunday May 6th from 7pm to 9pm, Jordan's Furniture celebrated youth in foster care who graduated from the Class of 2018. Special guests included the Governor and Mrs. Baker.

The statewide event took place tonight at the Jordan's store in Reading, MA. It was hosted by Department of Children & Families Commissioner Linda Spears and featured special guests Governor Baker and his wife. The evening included food, entertainment, and an awards program to acknowledge the academic achievements of the graduates. During the program in the IMAX Theater, guests enjoyed a video highlighting many of the honored youth, heard from guest speakers and received gifts. During his speech, Governor Baker said that the youth inspired him because of the many challenges that they had to overcome to get to where they were today. At the end of the program, each honored youth received a sports bag, a Red Sox shirt, a Target store gift card, and IMAX Theater tickets. Guests came from across the Commonwealth to attend. Two full-size buses brought youth from the Western part of the state.

Eliot Tatelman and Jordan's Furniture have been sponsoring this achievement celebration for foster youth since 2002, when celebrants were invited to the IMAX Theater in Natick. In 2007, the event grew and youth from across the state joined in the celebration. The event is now held at the Jordan's store in Reading to accommodate the number of youth, their foster parents, siblings, and social workers who gather to celebrate their academic achievements each May. Over 500 guests, including 225 graduates, attended the May 6th event. "This is our 16th year hosting this special event. Each year, it gets bigger and bigger", says Tatelman. "We are thrilled to continue the tradition of honoring the youth. It is important to acknowledge the academic achievements of these great kids, many who have made it through some adverse conditions", he says. "It is our way to show our support for them."

DCF Commissioner Linda Spears also attended. "The staff at the Department of Children & Families is extremely proud of the graduates and inspired by their resilience and determination to achieve their educational goals," the Commissioner said. "Being able to celebrate as a group, with the social workers and foster parents who support them day in and day out, means so much to the kids. Eliot and his team at Jordan's Furniture leave no detail unattended and DCF is so grateful for their commitment to this event every year."

The evening concluded with a private screening of the newly released Avengers: Infinity War in IMAX 3D for the honored youth and their families.

New Haven, CT – a Jordan's Furniture van filled with like-new and new youth baseball equipment pulled up in front of the New Haven YMCA Youth Center on Wednesday May 2nd to make a very special delivery – equipment for the kids so that they could play ball this summer. The equipment was courtesy of Jordan's Furniture and their 2018 CT Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program. During the past several months, Jordan's customers were asked to drop off donations at the New Haven Long Wharf location. Through the generosity of local customers, along with the purchase of some new equipment by Jordan's, boxes and boxes of youth equipment were delivered to the New Haven YMCA Youth Center just in time for the upcoming season. "Thanks to the equipment donated from the Jordan's Furniture Double Play Youth Baseball Program, New Haven children who may have not been able to play baseball, now can. We are so excited!", said New Haven YMCA Youth Center District Executive Director Emily Jackson. "The New Haven YMCA Youth Center will also be able to offer a Summer youth baseball program, too, because of the donation". Jordan's Furniture is happy to supply the equipment and proud to support the programs and services of the New Haven YMCA Youth Center.

New Haven CT – Customers entering Jordan's Furniture in New Haven for the past few months brought not only their desire to shop for furniture but they also brought like-new prom dresses, to donate to Project Hope CT's "Say Yes to the Prom Dress" Boutique. As part of the Belle of the Ball prom dress collection drive that Jordan's sponsors every year, gently-used gowns and cocktail dresses were collected throughout February and March, to be distributed to girls in-need within the Greater New Haven community. "Jordan's has been part of the Belle of the Ball Program in MA for many years," said Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "Since we now have a store in New Haven, we wanted to be able to give back to this community, too, so we partnered with Project Hope CT. They are our Distribution Partner within Connecticut for the dresses, so that young girls right here in our neighborhood will be able to attend the prom." All donated prom dresses are cleaned free of charge by Antons Cleaners, the MA-based company who founded the Belle of the Ball Program.

The 350 dresses were delivered to Project Hope CT on Friday April 13th to their "Say Yes To The Prom Dress Boutique" in downtown New Haven CT. Qualified teens will receive a prom dress free of charge. For more information about Project Hope, visit [email protected] | Phone: 203-936-9510. For more information about Jordan's Furniture and their Community Outreach, visit Jordans.com/about-us/charities.

Jordan's sponsors and collect over 3,700 dresses for the program.

Hundreds and hundreds of girls attended the 2018 Belle of the Ball Boutique at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on April 7th, in preparation for that all-important high school event…the prom! Most of the teens who were at the event would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the dance, due to the high cost of dresses, shoes, and accessories. That is where the Belle Boutique comes in! Throughout the winter months, sponsors like Jordan's Furniture, Antons Cleaners, and Enterprise Bank collected like-new dresses from generous donors. All dresses were cleaned for free by Antons and then distributed to area girls in-need through the annual Belle Boutique. Almost 1,000 high school Juniors and Seniors from area communities, some coming by the bus load, participated in the free, invitation-only event and chose their perfect dress so that they can attend the dance in style. Since the cost of the prom can keep this rite-of-passage out reach for many, the Boutique is an important day.

"I look forward to Boutique Day every year," said Eliot Tatelman, president and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "Every high school girl should have the chance to go to her prom and feel beautiful. This event makes that happen. It makes dreams come true for these young ladies - it's fantastic."

This year, the Hynes Convention Center was the new host for Boutique Day. A powerful personal experience, the 14th Boutique Day had more space to display thousands of dresses collected, in variety of colors, styles and sizes - all free of charge. "With a larger venue and more space, this year's Belle of the Ball was better than ever," said Arthur Anton Jr., COO of Anton's Cleaners and corporate partner. "We could expand the number of guests and the new space is a giant leap forward in our fifteenth year of service."

According to Arthur Anton Jr., COO, Anton's Cleaners and a founder of Belle of the Ball, "Every high school girl should have the experience of feeling beautiful, inside and out, at their prom. We couldn't make these dreams come true without a legion of corporate partners, dress donors, and a giant team of loyal volunteers and supporters."

As a primary sponsor of the Belle of the Ball program, Jordan's Furniture collected 3,782 like-new and trendy gowns from generous customers at all store locations and also at their Taunton DC. (The dresses collected at the Jordan's store in New Haven CT are distributed to area teens in-need through Project Hope CT.) Jordan's is proud to continue their support of the Belle of the Ball Program and to participate in the Belle Boutique.

Jordan's was proud to be a sponsor and support the kids.

Jordan's sponsored the 2018 Hasbro Children's Hospital Radiothon on April 5th with Cumulus Providence Radio Stations including 92 ProFM, Lite Rock 105, 630 PRO and Hot 106. The day-long live broadcast from the hospital included family stories, on-air pledges and touching interviews. It raised a record-breaking $422,431 from generous donors! All funds will go directly toward the life-saving care provided by the hospital. In addition to the sponsorship, Jordan's provided furniture for the "Jordan's Furniture Family Area", a space dedicated to the families and children participating in the Radiothon. After the event, the furniture was donated to the family of a patient. Jordan's is proud to continue the support of Hasbro Children's Hospital and the great work that they do to help children in the community with life-saving care.

On Sunday morning March 25th, hundreds of people gathered at the Jordan's Furniture store in Reading MA from 8:30AM to 11AM for a private event regarding foster care adoption with their partner of 20 years Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE)…all to find permanent, adoptive homes for some very special children and youth. Over 170 children in foster care and approximately 130 pre-adoptive families attended, along with social workers from all parts of the state. Based around the ropes course and other inter-active activities, families and children got to know one another in the intimate, fun-filled atmosphere of Beantown. Eliot Tatelman, Jordan's President and CEO, was on-site to greet the smiling guests. There was a lot of communication between families, children and social workers. In this day and age of technology, it is events such as this one that provide "face time" and where matches happen, hopefully resulting in permanent, adoptive homes. Jordan's Furniture is proud to continue their support of the adoption and foster care communities and its partnership with MARE.

Watch WBZ ch 4's story on Jordan's adoption event.

Baseball equipment for inner-city youth

In partnership with the Red Sox Foundation

Taunton, MA – There may be snow on the ground and cold temperatures in the air but it’s time to think baseball! Specifically youth baseball. Jordan’s Furniture is proud to announce the launch of their 2018 Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program, a project that will supply like-new baseball/softball equipment to inner-city youth for the upcoming season. In partnership with the Red Sox Foundation’s Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities (RBI) Program, equipment will be distributed to over 2,000 inner-city youth.

Starting today and running through April 15^th, equipment donations can be dropped off at any Jordan’s Furniture location in MA, RI, or NH, including their Taunton Distribution Center. All donations must be in like-new, clean condition. Equipment includes bats (metal only), catcher’s equipment, gloves, cleats (metal and plastic), baseballs (new), and softballs (new).

“This is the eighth year that we are running our youth baseball donation program because we have seen in past seasons that the equipment gets directly in the hands of kids who need it. And the need does not end”, said Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan’s Furniture.  “In this day and age of pay-to-play, there are thousands of kids that just cannot afford to play sports. We are excited to, again, team up with the Red Sox Foundation…the perfect partner!”.

“Jordan’s Furniture is a tremendous partner in the community. They are providing an incredible resource to hundreds of youth baseball and softball players by creating the Double Play Program,” said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director, Bekah Salwasser. “We are so appreciative of their commitment and willingness to collaborate to ensure youth have the critical access to recreational opportunities to stay healthy and happy throughout the summer.”

The 2018 Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program runs through April 15^th. All information can be found online at www.jordans.com and at www.redsoxfoundation.org beginning today.

Baseball equipment for inner-city youth

In partnership with the New Haven YMCA Youth Center

There may be snow on the ground and cold temperatures in the air but it’s time to think baseball! Specifically youth baseball. Jordan’s Furniture is proud to announce the launch of their 2018 Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program, a project that will supply like-new baseball/softball equipment to inner-city youth for the upcoming season. In partnership with the New Haven YMCA Youth Center, equipment will be distributed to inner-city youth.

Starting today and running through April 15^th, equipment donations can be dropped off at Jordan’s Furniture New Haven Long Wharf. All donations must be in like-new, clean condition. Equipment includes bats (metal only), catcher’s equipment, gloves, cleats (metal and plastic), baseballs (new), and softballs (new).

“There are so many kids right in our back yard who just do not have the opportunity to play sports, due to the expense of equipment” said Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan’s Furniture. “That is why we are so excited to team up with New Haven YMCA Youth Center…the perfect partner! They will get the donated equipment directly in the hands of local youth who simply have not played ball”.

“We are excited to partner with Jordan’s Furniture and the Double Play Youth Baseball Program. At the New Haven YMCA Youth Center, we are dedicated to youth development” said Emily Jackson, District Executive Director of the New Haven YMCA Youth Center.  “Many of the youth we serve, have never had the opportunity to explore baseball. Jordan’s Furniture will help provide the equipment necessary to give another opportunity our youth in New Haven.”

The 2018 Double Play Youth Baseball Donation Program runs through April 15^th. All information can be found online at www.jordans.com and at www.cccymca.org/locations/newhaven/ beginning today.

Held at Jordan's Furniture New Haven, Long Wharf

Jordan's neighbor Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc. (CDBi) held a team-oriented, no-experience-necessary sporting event for the New Haven community on Sunday January 21, 2018 at the Jordan's Furniture store in New Haven. The Indoor Rowing Relay & Raffle took place from 8:30am to 11am in the "It Adventure Ropes Course" area. The Indoor Rowing Relay featured a friendly competition between 75 competitors. Spectators, volunteers, and parents watched as they used indoor rowing machines to compete. The races were projected live onto the large wall behind the Water Show fountain in the ropes course area, creating fun for spectators, as well.

Over $2500 in donated raffle prizes were given away. The funds raised from the event will be used for equipment such as dragon boats, rowing shells, paddles, and life jackets, coaches' salaries for public school student programs, and rental of the Quinnipiac River Marina for housing and maintenance of the organization's boating equipment.

Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc. (CDBi) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in New Haven. They operate a community-oriented, waterfront center to support programming of non-motorized boating activities, as well as environmental education programs through a partnership with the University of New Haven. For more information about CDBi, please visit: www.canaldock.org or www.facebook.com/CanalDock.

From October through December 2017, all Jordan’s Furniture locations accepted like-new, gently-used winter coats for all ages, as a Corporate Partner and Sponsor of Coats For Kids, a program run by Caring Partners Inc. that provides winter garment for area families. Through the generosity of Jordan’s customers, over 8,400 winter coats of all sizes for both children and adults were dropped off during the 3-month collection period. All coats were cleaned free of charge by Antons Cleaners. The donated coats were distributed to area families in-need by partners such as The Salvation Army, Mass Coalition for the Homeless, Children’s Friend, MASSCAP, the Wish Project, Jumpstart, Community Giving Tree, New Reach Inc. and many others, including social service agencies in MA, NH, RI, and CT. 

Jordan’s Furniture has been a proud sponsor and partner with Coats For Kids for over 12 years. A radio public-service-campaign aired throughout the market, voiced by Jordan’s President and CEO Eliot Tatelman. To help further publicize the program, Jordan’s displayed posters in all stores, included information on the company’s website, posted messages on social media, and deployed email blasts. “It has always been important for us to give back to the community,” says Tatelman. “We offer our stores as drop-off locations for donations, making it easy for our customers to participate in the program. Antons Cleaners does a such a great job and we are proud that our involvement helps to generate thousands and thousands of coats for families right in our neighborhoods.” 

Jordan’s also provided many of the prizes for Coats For Kids School Rewards, including donations toward after-school or sports programs to the schools that collected the most number of coats. Tickets to Jordan’s Sunbrella IMAX Theaters were also donated to winning schools. Congratulations to the Academy of Notre Dame, the Woodward School, and Pappas Rehabilitation School for Children as the big winners!  

The mission of Coats for Kids is simple, “Anyone who needs a coat will have one.” Since the program’s conception by Antons in 1995, over one million coats have been collected and distributed. Coats For Kids is a Caring Partners program and is sponsored by Jordan’s Furniture, Antons Cleaners, and Enterprise Bank.