Allied Kitchen and Bath: Mayor’s Volunteering Challenge
Seven years ago, Bill Feinberg experienced a family tragedy that inspired him to give. His legacy and efforts have touched the lives of many in a capacity that reverberates throughout the Fort Lauderdale community, establishing him and his family-owned and operated business as an inspiring force.
This business owner and Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce board member has come far with his philanthropic involvement. In the past, he raised close to a million dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as president and has now reached out to local organizations through his company, Allied Kitchen and Bath, a design-build firm specializing in kitchen, bath, plumbing, and decorative hardware.
“I love giving back to the community;’ he said. “It’s a thrill, an honor for me. It’s what makes me tick.”
Since the renovation of the Allied Kitchen and Bath’s facility in September 2008, the spacious 15,000-square-foot showroom has been host to more than 45 charity events. From the likes of the Boys and Girls Club, Kids in Distress, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the American Cancer Society, and Habitat for Humanity, this community fixture leaves its legacy on everything it touches and doesn’t plan to stop there. Just off the heels of the FILFF Wrap Party in early November, Allied Kitchen and Bath was gearing up to host the Petstravaganza event to assist the Stray Aid and Rescue organization. During the next few months, the company will present about a dozen more events, including a benefit for the Humane Society in February 2011.
When hosting these outreach events, Allied Kitchen and Bath is able to underwrite the entire cost, providing the organizations with tools they need to have a memorable event and raise the funds desperately required. Feinberg involves his 40-member staff as they donate their time and talent toward working for a cause.
Feinberg doesn’t view this extension of goodwill as a job or a facet of his company’s services but as a way of life. He realizes the constraints this current economy has placed on many charities and donors alike, including his own company. However, his belief in giving back trumps the cutbacks and penny pinching all too common these days. “In order to be successful, you have to pay it forward,” Feinberg said. Allied Kitchen and Bath has given new meaning to that phrase. “I love being a part of it.”
To help boost local volunteerism, the City has launched the Mayor’s Volunteer Challenge, an initiative that challenges citizens to complete 100,000 hours of community service projects over the next year. As of Nov. 16, 71,032 hours have been recorded.