Posted on October 31, 2019
With Thanksgiving around the corner and the year coming to a close, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) would like to thank everyone who has helped us reach our 15th anniversary milestone. This year, we have watched the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act make incredible progress, we took the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to court over our “Right to Know” about who is importing asbestos and where its going, we led educational sessions around the world, and we shared the stories of those impacted by asbestos.
We could not have done any of this without your support.
Thank you to ADAO leadership, who has been on the ground in this fight to ban asbestos for years — we deeply appreciate your dedication, hard work, and guidance.
To our volunteers: you are truly the people who create this movement. Thank you for always giving us your time and energy – we appreciate it more than words can say.
Our work relies on the generosity of our donors and sponsors. Thank you for your contributions and support, which allow us to do the work we know must be done to end the scourge of asbestos-related diseases. ADAO is grateful to all who made a contribution this year, and especially to our Platinum Sponsors Motley Rice LLC, Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLC, the Delaware Insulation Asbestos Disease Trust; and our Silver Sponsor: Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen, LLC.
ADAO is eternally grateful to the many lawmakers who have championed ARBAN. Thanks to them, we are one step closer to a ban of asbestos in the United States. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as to their respective staff. We are also grateful to the nearly 60 ARBAN 2019 cosponsors and the nearly 25 influential organizations who support the bill.
A special thank you to former EPA Administrators Gina McCarthy and William K. Reilly, who recently wrote The New York Times op-ed “Asbestos Kills Nearly 40,000 Americans a Year. Ban It.” voicing support for ARBAN. We are honored to have your support, and it means so much coming from two people with your expertise and experience.
And a huge thank you to everyone who has spoken at our 14 Congressional staff briefings.
We would like to thank the 18 Attorneys General who have voiced support for ARBAN. We value your opinion and are grateful for your support.
Thank you to everyone who has shared their story online and at our Congressional Staff Briefings about how they or a loved one was affected by asbestos. Your stories remind us all why we are fighting this battle.
Last, but not least, thank you to the nearly 30 interns who worked tirelessly to understand the many facets of our nonprofit and help us to exceed our goals.
In closing, we would like to take a moment to thank those who have helped us over the past 15 years who are no longer here. We continue this fight in their honor and memory.
You have fueled our fight and there is no limit to what we can accomplish together.
With gratitude,
Linda Reinstein
Dedicated to Alan, Bill, and Doug.