Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture Teams With N.E. Patriot Vince Wilfork to Promote Mentoring

Furniture World Magazine

Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture is partnering with New England Patriot Vince Wilfork, WBCN, and the Mass Mentoring Partnership to encourage more people to get involved with mentoring kids. The company is sponsoring a major public service campaign called “Be a Champion for a Child,” which highlights the need for high-quality youth mentoring throughout Massachusetts. The spots star Bernie and Phyllis Rubin, co-founders of Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture, and Patriot’s nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who explain that there are thousands of children across the state in need of mentors. Currently, for every two kids matched with an adult, one remains on a mentoring program’s wait list. In addition to the radio spots, one successful mentor and mentee pair will attend each home game of the season as Vince’s “match of the game” and have their stories told on the radio that day. At the end of October, Vince and Bernie and Phyl will take part in two special events at Bernie & Phyl’s stores (dates and times to be announced later), during which people will be able to learn about the rewards of mentoring. “Mentoring was really important in my life and we at Bernie & Phyl’s are very excited about teaming up with Vince Wilfork of the Patriots. We hope to achieve ‘a touchdown’ for kids throughout the state by attracting more people to become mentors,” said Bernie Rubin. Each January for the past four years, Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture has sponsored the National Mentoring Month public service campaign for the Mass Mentoring Partnership. The Partnership recently awarded the company the first Champions of Mentoring Award for their long-standing support and commitment to mentoring kids. In 2004, Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture received the prestigious Better Business Bureau Local Torch Award for Excellence, which is given to companies that embody the highest ethical standards. In 2002, the company was named “Retailer of the Year” by the National Home Furnishings Association, which is the highest honor in the retail home furnishings industry. The company ranks 61 among the Top 100 furniture stores in the country according to Furniture/Today. Based in Norton, MA, Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture has seven stores in New England: Braintree (50,000 s/f); Everett, MA (Bedding and Clearance Center); Nashua, NH (86,000 s/f); Raynham, MA (55,000 s/f) Saugus, MA (50,000 s/f); Westboro, MA (42,000 s/f); and Weymouth, MA (Bedding and Clearance Center).