The Shield 23 Foundation, Inc. is organized as an Illinois not for profit corporation, established to honor the legacy of Russell Scott Constantino and all the brave first responders everywhere, that are suffering cancer that has been caused, in whole or in part, as a consequence of their passion and dedication to the communities they serve. Our goal is to help defray the costs of travel, medicine, meals, holistic treatments and medical treatments and costs not covered by insurance and promote fire service cancer related education. In addition, to cover any necessary and proper monetary needs, including but not limited to, day care, house keeping, lawn care, etc, for qualifying first responders and their immediate families.

Our wish is no firefighter battling cancer, with their family by their side, suffers the financial i

Goal One: The Foundation serves to honor the legacy of Russ by defraying the costs of treatment and care for firefighters battling cancer and the families standing by their side.

Goal Two: Peer Support, for the firefighter battling cancer and the family standing beside them, can be a critical tool in coping with the impacts of learning of a cancer diagnosis and the treatment of cancer.

Goal Three: Shield 23 Foundation aims to increase public awareness of the impact of job-related cancer in the fire service and encourage education and cancer risk prevention practices within the fire service.

Our organization relies on a small Board of seven for its direction and success. We rely on each Board Member's unique professional background, life experience and skill set. These include fire service (three members are either active or retired firefighters), being touched by cancer (all seven) and additional interests in counseling (one member is a psychotherapist) and the legal field (two members.) All Board Members have either a personal or professional relationship and investment in our Mission. We invest in our leadership development via strong networking and consultation, both in-person and virtual, with similar organizations, fire departments and unions, etc. Each Board Member also serves as Chair of at least one committee.

All non-profits have been significantly and negatively impacted by world and social and health events. These events severely restricted our ability to get the word out about our organization and mission, our ability to network, our ability to raise funds and hold events or even to meet in person. Furthermore our target mission recipients, firefighters with cancer and their families, as well as first responders, were at risk given the circumstances. We adapted by pivoting to Zoom meetings, wearing masks and social distancing for Giftings to our recipients. We emphasized direct personal donations, grants from other organizations and social media fundraisers. We also empowered fire service organizations to fund raise on our behalf and name us as beneficiary. We also found success highlighting our merchandise online, and then with the purchase of a Square digital point of sale device, increased mobile merchandise sales.