Foundation Formed By Andrew Abramson Is Benefitting From Several October Events;
His firm, Value Companies, Is Donating $100 For Each Lease Signed During The Month
CLIFTON, N.J. — Developer Andrew Abramson is all too familiar with the heartbreak and despair associated with living with someone afflicted with breast cancer. His mother, Vivian Bombardieri, succumbed to the disease four years ago. And that was just prior to learning that his wife, Lisa, was also diagnosed with breast cancer.
Not content to sit on his hands and wait for progress to be made in finding a cure, Mr. Abramson — President of Value Companies, a leading real estate development, investment and management company headquartered in Clifton, N. J — decided to get personally involved in raising funds for breast cancer research.
In 2007, he co-founded the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (CBCF), a 501(c) 3, non-profit organization. He then enlisted a number of “partners” to help sponsor charity events.
Since its inception, CBCF has raised in excess of $1.3 million through events such as an annual golf tournament, now preparing for its third year, walk-a-thons and other fundraising activities. Fully 100% of its net fundraising proceeds received by the foundation are donated to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan to support the ground-breaking research being conducted there by noted oncologist Dr. Larry Norton.
“My daughter Carly was actually the inspiration for CBCF’s founding,” Mr. Abramson recalls. “Shortly after her mother was diagnosed, Carly, who was just 12 at the time, made a beaded key ring for her as a gift. Everyone at Memorial Sloan-Kettering where Lisa was a patient loved it so, with the help of family and friends, Carly made and sold 700 similar key rings in the name of breast cancer research.
“By the end of 2007, Carly had raised $10,000 for the hospital. Since I was convinced by then that anything that can be done to advance the progress being made in cancer research should be a priority and that money was obviously a critical factor in furthering this work, I determined to use my financial expertise in this area to do whatever I could to aid the cause. Creating a foundation through which these funds could be channeled seemed to be the best way to proceed.”
This October, which commemorates the 25th Anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, CBCF has organized a number of local charity events and promotions in Passaic and Essex Counties with the help of sponsoring partners:
• CBL Fine Art in West Orange is featuring all month its Troll Beads Empowerment Collection, a limited edition of pink and white blown glass beads. Fifty percent of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to the foundation.
• The second annual Shag 86 Walk-A-Thon is scheduled for 9 am on Sunday, Oct. 18th, starting at the salon, 86 Main Street in Little Falls. Last year’s walk raised more than $10,000.
• On Saturday, Oct. 24th (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 25th), Valley National Bank is sponsoring a walk to raise money for the foundation. Walkers will leave at 9 am from the bank’s corporate office at 1455 Valley Road.
“And on a personal level,” Mr. Abramson asserts,” Value Companies is donating $100 to the foundation for every rental lease signed at any of our rental communities during the month of October. Since we own and manage thousands of rental apartments, we expect to do quite well with this initiative.”
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month began in 1985 and is sustained by philanthropic organizations like CBCF to build awareness and raise funds for research.
For more information, visit http://www.curebreastcancerfoundation.org or call (973) 471-CBCF (2223).
About the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation
The Cure Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is a Clifton, N. J.-based not-for-profit charity devoted to research on a cure for breast cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. The founder and president is Carly Abramson. Her father, Andrew Abramson, is secretary/treasurer. For more information, call (973) 471-CBCF (2223), e-mail info@curebreastcancerfoundation.org or visit the Web site at http://www.curebreastcancerfoundation.org.
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