Corboy & Demetrio Supports Shield 23 Foundation for Giving Tuesday
Corboy & Demetrio is proud to announce that we have selected Shield 23 Foundation, based in Gurnee, IL, to support on 2023 Giving Tuesday, which is a global generosity movement that takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.
Shield 23 Foundation is a non-profit formed in March 2018 by the family and friends of Russell S. Constantino, a 20-year Gurnee Fire Department Firefighter and Paramedic who died in 2009 at the age of 46 from job-related brain cancer.
The mission of Shield 23 Foundation is to raise and gift funds to firefighters battling cancer and to their families.
Russ served as the Gurnee Fire Department’s Quartermaster for almost 20 years. He was also a member of the Gurnee Fire Department Dive Rescue and Bike Teams and helped found the GFD’s Union Local 3598 Honor Guard. He was a proud member of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) Honor Guard, often participating in the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Fallen Firefighter Memorial Ceremony in Colorado Springs, CO, where his name is now etched alongside so many others on the Memorial Wall.
“For Love of Family & Brotherhood” is what Russ’s wife, Shenan Constantino, chose to have inscribed on her husband’s grave marker because she says it’s how he felt, and so, she chose those words for Shield 23 Foundation’s tagline.
When she launched the Foundation, she wrote in an open letter: “There are those hometown heroes in our community who are right now fighting the cancer battle and their families that need support. While Russ’ story may not have had the happier ending we hoped for, we are dedicated to supporting those who are fighting like hell to have that happier ending.”
Shield 23 strives to support firefighters and their families by helping to defray the cost of cancer treatment and care and to cover associated necessary and monetary needs for the families.
The non-profit has presented monetary gifts to the families of 35 firefighters so far. As Shenan recently shared with us, the Foundation can only gift as much as it gets, and so, on Giving Tuesday, we will be honored to help Shield 23 in its efforts.
Donation link: Shield 23 Foundation.