HMTX Cares
Learn more about the following programs and how HMTX is associated with each.
“I Have A Dream” Foundation®
The “I Have A Dream” Foundation works to ensure that all children have the opportunity to pursue higher education, fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams. The foundation empowers children (“Dreamers”) in under-resourced communities to graduate from college by equipping them with the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in postsecondary school, along with tuition support to remove financial barriers. By helping Dreamers gain access to college, they are put on a different academic and life trajectory, creating positive ripple effects on the students’ families and the generations that follow.
How HMTX Supports the “I Have A Dream” Foundation
- HMTX CEO Harlan Stone joined the Board of Directors of this National “I Have A Dream” Foundation in February 2018. In this capacity, he supports the vision and mission of the national educational equity organization, which has 14 affiliates located in 9 states and currently serves nearly 4,000 students in the kindergarten-to-postsecondary school pipeline.
- Harlan serves on the Board Governance and Nominating Committee and is a member of the Affiliate Exchange Program, providing strategic support and resources to the “I Have A Dream” Foundation of New Jersey.
Habitat for Humanity®
Founded by former President Jimmy Carter, Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Habitat works toward its vision by building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.
How HMTX Supports Habitat for Humanity
As a leading supplier of flooring to families around the world, our affinity for the Habitat for Humanity mission comes quite naturally.
- Since 2014, HTMX has given more than $2 million in the form of cash, sponsorships and materials.
- As leading sponsor of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for the last three years, HMTX has provided materials and manpower to install flooring in each of the homes.
- HMTX CEO Harlan Stone is a member of Habitat’s Asia Pacific Development Council, helping to raise awareness and visibility of Habitat’s work in that region.
- One of Harlan’s goals is to help Habitat find new ways to engage youth in their mission.
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation®
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) seeks to find a cure for all multiple myeloma patients by relentlessly pursuing innovations that accelerate the development of precision treatments for cancer. The MMRF identifies barriers and then finds the solutions to overcome them, bringing in the best partners and aligning incentives in the industry to drive better outcomes for patients. Today, the MMRF is building on its legacy in genomics and is expanding into immunotherapy, as the combination of these two fields will be critical to making precision medicine possible for all patients.
The MMRF has raised nearly $500 million and directs nearly 90% of total funds to research and related programs.
How HMTX Supports the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
HMTX CEO Harlan Stone has been a leader and partner in the MMRF mission. His support began many years ago during his mother’s battle with multiple myeloma. His ongoing involvement is inspired in part by his belief that the work of the MMRF may one day also benefit those suffering from other types of cancer. Thanks to his generosity and involvement, the MMRF has been able—and will continue—to drive progress in democratizing healthcare and promoting more equitable and favorable patient outcomes.
Nuvance Health™
Norwalk Hospital Foundation
Whittingham Cancer Center/Pancreatic Cancer Research
Pancreatic Cancer Screening Study
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal of all cancers, with five-year survival rates under 10 percent. Too often, at the time of diagnosis, pancreatic cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. The ability to detect pancreatic cancer at an early, more curable stage is therefore urgently needed.
Nuvance Health, a leading health system serving western Connecticut and New York’s mid-Hudson Valley, is working now to improve detection and outcomes for patients. Richard Frank, MD, Director of Clinical Cancer Research, is leading the Pancreatic Cancer Screening Study, which uses MRI and blood screenings to improve methods of early detection, identify biomarkers for risk, and understand which patients are likely to respond to available chemotherapy treatments.
How HMTX Supports the Nuvance Health Pancreatic Cancer Screening Study
HMTX CEO Harlan Stone has pledged to support Dr. Frank’s work with a three-year financial commitment.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, is the alma mater of HMTX CEO, Harlan Stone, who is a deeply engaged alumnus. His giving has helped foster collaboration and innovation across the University, the impact of which will be felt for generations.
How HMTX Supports the University of Pennsylvania
- Harlan serves on the Board of Overseers at the School of Engineering and Applied Science (Penn Engineering), where he is currently the Chair of the Academic Life Committee and Chair of the newly formed Penn Engineering Technical Advisory Board.
- Harlan has provided support for Penn Engineering’s highest strategic priorities, including the endowment of a professorship, financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students, and capital support for an interactive animation theater in the Digital Media Design program.
- Recently, he made a significant gift to support the construction of a new Data Science Building.
- He serves on the Abraham Cancer Center Innovation Advisory Board.
- He has supported the Basser Center for BRCA at Penn Medicine and the Innovation Accelerator for Tumor Sequencing and Analytics Fund.
Employee Causes
At HMTX, we care about the causes our employees care about. When we work together, our impact is so much greater than when we act alone.
Save the Sound® —Environmental Clean Up Event
Rick Taylor, Halstead/Metroflor’s Director of Training, leads this effort to combat ocean and plastic pollution. Through this program, our east coast employees have the opportunity to pitch in to reduce litter along the Connecticut and Long Island Sound.
The mission of Save the Sound is to protect and improve the land, air and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. The organization uses legal and scientific expertise and brings people together to achieve results that benefit the environment for current and future generations.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
From 2017-2018, under the leadership of Halstead President Eric Anderson and many members of the HMTX Family, Halstead/Metroflor’s charity efforts benefitted the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. This cause is very personal for Eric, as his wife Sara lives with the effects of the disease.
A series of events, including a Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Run/Walk in Roswell and a day of fun and fundraising at Top Golf in Atlanta (which included a raffle and silent auction) resulted in a contribution of $56,000 to the Foundation. The Top Golf event was also a great opportunity to include customers and strategic partners in our mission.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is a non-profit, volunteer-fueled organization dedicated to finding the cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improving the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases.
Halstead Metroflor Addiction Crisis (HMAC)
Led by Vice President of Business Development, Paul Eanes, this effort is aimed at helping those affected by the opioid crisis and the national addiction epidemic in general. The goal of HMAC is to raise $500,000 over a two-year period beginning in 2019 to fund rehabilitation “scholarships” and support to families who otherwise would not be financially able to help save their loved ones suffering from Substance Addiction Disorders (SADs). Funds raised will be matched dollar for dollar by Halstead/Metroflor for a total commitment of $1 million.
Efforts include a “Save an Addict. Save a Family.” GoFundMe page and events such as one that took place near the company’s Norwalk, CT headquarters, during which $25,000 was raised. Additional events have provided opportunities for employees and partners in other office locations to support fundraising efforts.
Multiple Sclerosis
From 2015-2016, Metroflor Sales Coordinator Michelle Esposito led a charitable campaign to “Crush MS.” Michelle’s passion arose while witnessing the disease take her own mother’s life at 45. Enlisting the help of Kyle Goeller, Metroflor Product Development and Pricing Coordinator, and Arthur Clarke, P.A.D. Technical Coordinator, the team hosted two fundraising parties at Michelle’s home and set up a Go Fund Me account. With generous contributions from employees, customers and friends, along with a company match donated by CEO Harlan Stone, close to $15,000 was raised for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Michelle went on to raise an additional $21,000 through a charity golf tournament that she organized, which was attended by Metroflor and Halstead associates, distribution and retail customers and vendor partners.
Ocean Blue Project—Annual Oregon Coast Cleanup & Awareness Day
Led by Emily French, Dan Baltus and Dan’s wife Debbie Dille, our west coast employees take part in this annual event to help rid the Manzanita coastline of trash, especially microplastics. In 2019, Halstead/Metroflor was an event sponsor.
Ocean Blue Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect and conserve the world’s oceans, beaches and rivers through education and awareness by providing service learning projects, enhancing wildlife habitats, cleaning beaches and rivers and planting trees.
Voluntary Tree Planting in Shanghai
Vertex General Manager Simon Xia researched organized efforts to clean up natural areas in his local Shanghai, China, and came up empty-handed. But he didn’t give up. Instead, he invited his team to participate in a Voluntary Tree Planting. On April 28th, 2018, Xia and staff planted 25 French Holly. According to Xia, French Holly trees are green all year, are hardy, can grow to four meters (13 feet) tall, and can reduce noise and clean the air.