During a kick-off event at the International Builder Show in Orlando, Fla., Shaw Floors publicly announced the company’s national sponsorship of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. Throughout 2012 Shaw will support the fundraising campaign as the project’s exclusive flooring provider. To date, the Dream Home campaign has raised more than $220 million in 20 years to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The event attracted top consumer-focused publications, including Elle Décor, Traditional Home, Southern Living, Coastal Living and Sunset magazines, to learn more about the St. Jude mission and impact. The hospital is one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other deadly childhood diseases. During the event, representatives from Shaw, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a leading builder representative discussed the St. Jude mission and expectations for the coming year’s partnership.

“The St. Jude mission has impacted the lives of children and families across the world. It is more than just incredible lifesaving treatment and research conducted, but also about giving people hope,” said Kathy Young, Shaw marketing director. “The roughly 8,000 children seen by St. Jude hospital each year don’t have a choice in dealing with their disease. But as a company we do have options, and with this partnership we’re choosing to direct our resources to St. Jude to continue influencing how the world treats children struggling with cancer and other deadly diseases.”

As the program’s exclusive flooring sponsor, Shaw will donate flooring to approximately 30 new homes across the country, all built and promoted utilizing donated time and resources by premier builders, installers, subcontractors and vendors throughout the U.S. Consumers can reserve $100 tickets for a chance to win their local Dream Home, knowing that all of the proceeds go to help St. Jude. Shaw has signed on to become the second national sponsor, joining Brizo, a luxury brand of faucets, in raising funds for children’s cancer research and other deadly diseases.

“It’s an honor to be part of the St. Jude Dream Home project year after year, and it’s very special to welcome Shaw Floors in joining this effort” said Shawn Goff, President, Graham Hart Home Builder. “Today’s event represents another important step toward growing the St. Jude outreach that is so important to saving the lives of children all over the world.”

The partnership includes a commitment by Shaw Floors and the company’s brands, Tuftex Carpets of California and Anderson Hardwood, to provide a variety of flooring products, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile & stone, resilient floors and area rugs. The floors will be featured in homes, which are valued between $300,000 to $700,000, across the U.S. Shaw’s local retailers will partner with the St. Jude Dream Home team to choose stunning, design-inspired floors and engage in local promotion and education about the St. Jude Dream Home program.

In late February, Shaw Marketing will introduce a St. Jude Dream Home tab hosted on shawadvantage.com for involved retailers, builders and designers to explore more information about the sponsorship, view a product catalog, place orders and access marketing materials.

For more information about the program, flooring retailers can visit www.dreamhome.org or contact their local Shaw representative.