Ashley store giving mattresses to N.J. families affected by fire

Donations to help 24 families, including an Ashley employee

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, September 28, 2010

PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. — An Ashley Furniture HomeStore here is offering a free mattress set to each of the 24 families displaced by a fire that gutted their apartments here last week, according to a WFMZ-TV news story.

"In addition, we extend our employee pricing on all furniture and accessories," Barry DiMaio, the store's owner, told the station. "Whatever their furnishing need we can help put their home back together."

Among the residents displaced by the fire was Cosmo Cavallaro, associate sales manager at the store.

"While I was probably the newest resident in the complex, it was already my home," said Cavallaro. "For many people, this event will fade away quickly, but for me and my neighbors it will take months to recover and so much is lost forever."

"Our initial concern was how to help Cosmo recover and instead, Cosmo was focused on how we could help everyone in the complex," said DiMaio. "We are new to Phillipsburg and have been looking for a way to get involved in the community. I wish our support didn't come at such a great expense to these individuals."