Solon, Ohio -- Tarkett’s North America sales team volunteered at five New Orleans-area nonprofits in February through Tarkett Cares, a key part of the company’s social responsibility initiative. Nearly 350 Tarkett team members volunteered at nonprofits throughout the city, supporting agencies focused on assisting the families and children of New Orleans.

The company-sponsored day of volunteering is part of Tarkett’s North America national sales meeting and will result in approximately 1,400 hours volunteered in New Orleans to assist the five following agencies: St. Bernard Battered Women’s Program’s Domestic Violence Shelter; Arise Academy; Hoffman Early Learning Center Head Start; LowerNine.org; and the Boys and Girls Club of New Orleans.

“Corporate social responsibility is at the core of our business’s values, and our team takes this to heart,” said Len Ferro, president, soft surfaces, Tarkett North America. “We’ve made volunteering a tradition of our sales meeting for a decade, and we’re grateful we have the ability to give back to New Orleans while we’re here.”

In addition to employee time, Tarkett is also donating flooring, paint, landscaping supplies, and other building materials to complete projects such as installing flooring, painting murals, creating playground areas, building group dance spaces, creating outdoor picnic and exercise areas, and installing kitchen cabinets and countertops.

“Year after year, we rely on volunteers to help us with things that can’t be covered by grants,” said Gail Gowland, executive director, St. Bernard Battered Women’s Program. “That includes teams of volunteers coming in and repairing our shelter. The work Tarkett’s volunteers are doing will help in the daily lives of those living in our emergency shelter.”

“We couldn’t serve the homeowners of the Lower Ninth without the help of volunteers like those from Tarkett,” said Emily Steiber, volunteer coordinator, Lowernine.org. “Because of generous volunteers, we’ve been able to rebuild 87 homes and complete 250 home repair projects for people who lost their homes to Katrina. One family will have their home project completed by the Tarkett team.”

Jeff Fenwick, president, resilient, Tarkett North America, added, “Tarkett Cares is our corporate volunteering program that mobilizes teams worldwide to share their time and talents with local communities to help people live better. New Orleans is serving as the host city for Tarkett’s 2018 North America sales meeting, and this day of giving back is the company’s way of thanking and honoring the city for its hospitality.”

For more information, visit tarkettna.com.