Episode 5 - "Doing Good" Radio Show - Featuring Michael VanDenburg

In Episode 5 of the Doing Good Radio Show on My Country 96.1 FM, our Founder Sal Mangano sits down with Michael VanDenburg, Founder of the Promise of Hope Foundation.

This heartfelt conversation dives into the compassionate mission of Promise of Hope—an organization that provides financial assistance and emotional support to families suffering the devastating loss of a child, and to families of fallen first responders. Their work ensures that during times of unimaginable grief, families can focus on healing, honoring, and remembering their loved ones—without the burden of funeral costs and memorial planning.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share our YouTube channel @ManganoFamilyFoundation to help us continue highlighting those who are truly Doing Good and visit our website at https://www.manganofamilyfoundation.com/

#ManganoFamilyFoundation #ManganoFamilyFuneralHomes #DoingGood #MyCountry961 #GivingBack #radioshow #LongIsland

https://www.manganofamilyfoundation.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The views and opinions expressed on this program are not necessarily those of this station, JVC Broadcasting Management, or its sponsors.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

All right. Thank you everybody for joining us on another edition of the Mangano Family Foundation Doing Good Radio Show. This show is really aimed at promoting all of the positive impact at local organizations and community leaders and individuals who are dedicated to making a difference. We like to highlight that on the Mangano Family Foundation Doing Good Radio show. So we are here again with Sal Mangano of the Mangano Family Foundation and president of Mangano Family Funeral Home. Sal, how are you doing today? Good. How are you today? I'm doing good. I'm doing good. And uh our guest uh is really somebody who has done an amazing job uh all across Long Island um and really helping families in needs, and that's Mike Vandenberg, who's the founder of Promise of Hope Foundation. Mike, thanks so much for joining the Mangano Family Foundation show today.

SPEAKER_03 1:22

Thank you so much. Thank you for having me on. I really appreciate the opportunity to share.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

And um so in addition, you know, to the foundation, which we're gonna get into a lot, you're also uh head of a contracting company. You want to talk a little bit about what you guys do there?

SPEAKER_03 1:37

Yeah, so uh my partner and I, for uh the past almost 30 years uh started a commercial flooring company, and we also do commercial construction for schools across Long Island and Westchester. You know, we are located in Copeg. Um we've been there since day one, and um You know, we've just been growing this business for the past 30 years, and and thank goodness we've had tremendous success through quality work and a good reputation that it's continued to grow um year after year for 30 years.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

That's great. It's it's it's no easy uh task to uh have a have a business in general, let alone for 30 years. So congratulations on on your success there. And the nonprofit, you know, Promise of Hope Foundation. Talk to us about how that started and and kind of how that all came together.

SPEAKER_03 2:27

So the Promise of Hope Foundation was started uh by me and my partner uh about nine years ago. Um, you know, listen, we were successful in business, things were going very well, and uh, we've always had um this thing inside us that we wanted to give back. You know, I almost feel like it was a little bit of Catholic guilt, you know, that you're doing well in life, everything's good in life, and when you see someone suffer, you feel guilty for doing good in life. And um, so we decided we were going to um open a foundation. And um, when we opened the foundation, we really weren't sure what the foundation was going to do. We just knew we wanted to do good and we wanted to give back to the community that has given to us, you know, which is really all of Long Island. We do schools from Montauk all the way, you know, right to uh, you know, the uh Queen's Nassau line. So um we opened a foundation, got 5013c approved, got everything done, and we're like, all right, great, now what are we gonna do? And we really didn't know. And and I and I'm a and I'm a believer of just build it and it will come. Like you will figure this out. And I said to my partner, we will figure this out. Something's going to pop up, and we will figure out what we're supposed to be doing with this foundation. And um, about three weeks later, I receive a call from my superintendent at the time I was living in Miller Place. And my superintendent called, and she's like, Um, and I was up in Albany at a state conference, and she's like, Mike, did you hear Mr. McMorris's son was killed in a tragic accident? Now, a lot of you will probably remember the story of the Boy Scouts walking along the road uh eight or nine years ago. A drunk driver left a golf course and mowed down six or seven of these Boy Scouts. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And um and Andrew was pinned under the car and lost his life. And as we're talking, he's like, you know, um, I was like, wow, I was like, anything we could do for him, he worked in my daughter's school, he was my daughter's guidance counselor, who I have worked closely with, with my daughter. So I was really like heartbroken over this guy who's been so amazing to me with my child, he just lost his child. And I was like, if there's anything I could do, please let me know. She called me back about an hour later and she goes, I hear that they're gonna basically spend every dime they got to give him a good funeral. And I'm like, Well, geez, you work your whole life to save some money, and now you have to spend it all. And I was like, We're gonna pay for the funeral. Just call them out and tell him we're paying for the funeral. And um, we paid for the funeral, and I felt it was important to make sure I paid respects at the wake. And I went to the wake first time, never been to a child's wake before. Um, was really preparing myself for a very uh difficult situation, and I went in and I met the McMorrises, and they could not have been more grateful, they could not have been more appreciative, and they you know, they said, Listen, you were able to help my son have a dignified send-off, and a dignified, uh, you know, you know, a dignified send-off in front of his friends, in front of the boy scouts, in front of his family, but more importantly to him, what he deserved. And um I left awake, I picked up the phone, I called my partner, and I said, I found our calling. This is what we're supposed to be doing. And one thing led to another, and um, you know, we're nine years into this, and um we did well over a hundred children's funerals across Long Island.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Wow, that is amazing.

SPEAKER_03 6:27

Yeah, it's been it's been uh tragic, but we are certainly glad we are there for those families. Um really, really you go to a funeral and you meet these parents who've lost everything. I mean, you ask anyone what is the worst thing that could possibly happen to you, the answer is the same every single time. It's the loss of a child. You know, it's the loss of a child. And the gratitude from these families is second to none. You know, and my board members, I encourage them to come. It's difficult. It's not easy walking into those. And Sal, you know this better than anyone. You do this for a living. It's not easy walking into a kid's wake or a kid's funeral, and um, but the gratitude you get from the family is better than any experience I've ever had in my life. You know, just knowing that we made a difference at their absolute worst moment.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Wow. I mean, that is just uh that's amazing. I mean, incredible. And and it's obviously it struck a real chord with you, like in terms of like almost like a calling, so to speak. It sounds like you know what it means to you personally.

SPEAKER_03 7:42

It it absolutely taken my life over. It's really changed the person who I've become. You know, um, you know, when when we started with this foundation and we started doing these funerals, you know, I started watching everything I did. I was like, I have to make sure as a human being, I represent this foundation well because if I don't, that's a poor reflection of the foundation. Forget about me. I don't care. You could think all you want about me. I didn't want anything, any poor reflection, so I had to change the way I was. Not that I was a bad person, but you really watch what you do and watch what you say and careful how you do things. But most importantly, um, you know, the money that comes in, I always make sure it's spent exactly the way it was intended to be spent. There's nothing about that money that I would use, you know. I even feel guilty making up pamphlets to try to promote the foundation, you know, because I feel like, well, that's not what they gave the money for, you know, but you know, we do need it. Yeah, we do need to promote it. It's part of the operating expenses, but my guilt allows me to think that way. But uh as the foundation evolved, and um, you know, in the 20s came, you know, the 2020 came and uh, you know, COVID hit, and the big push against the police department, um, and a big push against the fund me, um, we started another addition to the Promise of Hope Foundation. And that was when Officer Sakos was killed in New York City in 2021. Um I reached out to people I knew in New York City, found out the department does not pay for those funerals. Um, that funeral falls on to the burden of the family, and I said, Well, that's not gonna happen anymore. And from that point forward, we pay for every single line of duty funeral in Nassau, Suffolk, and West you know, Nassau, Suffolk, and uh um New York City. Wow, that's we pay for every line of duty funeral. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Wow, you're a successful business person, you had your company years ago, you decided to start this. Love for you to talk a little bit more about, you know, people are busy, business owners are are extremely busy, not just running their businesses but their lives. So I I'd love to hear you talk a little bit about, you know, just from your perspective, why it's important for you know a business owner, local businesses, local companies, um, to get involved in giving back. Not even just in your organization, just in general, as like the right thing to do in terms of social responsibility and really giving back to the community that serves you.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

And I think that's a great question because um you know, as our business grew, you know, we almost felt like we're getting all this success and we're just taking, taking, taking. And we felt like we had to give back to. Like you can't just take and not give back to the world, you know, and I feel that way for everybody. Look, if you've been blessed with success, and and and God only knows, that success is on you. Like you worked your butt off, you worked so hard to be successful, but there is you know a social responsibility to give back to your community, to help your community, whether it be through Promise of Hope, whether it be through one of a gazillion other great foundations, um, if you've been so blessed, give back. But the one thing I promise you is if you give back to your community and you see what you have done, it will be the best feeling you'll have ever felt in all of your business. You know, um being there for a family, to me, I feel a thousand times better than winning a tremendous contract. You know what I'm saying? It's just that feeling is tremendous. And what you do for a family that's less fortunate or a person or whatever that is, that's less fortunate, you've changed their life, you know, and and that's one big thing. You know, as you grow and you become successful and things become a little easier for you, and life becomes a little better for you, and you're able to travel more and do more and buy fancier cars and get bigger houses and get a nice boat, that's all great. But there's still a tremendous amount of this population where two, three, five, ten thousand dollars to that family changes their life. Changes could change the direction of their life.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Yeah. So and you made a good point before, too. I mean, um, in the grand scheme of things, you know, that $2,000, $3,000 that families struggle to save that type of money. And that is their nest egg that's growing or an emergency fund that, you know, in one swoop, you know, can be gone. Just like unfortunately, if they, you know, when they lose the most precious thing to them in the world, which is their child, uh, and for you to be able to come in and provide that level of support really is inspiring and provides huge impact to that family. Huge impact. Um so so thank you for that. Thank you for that.

SPEAKER_03 12:49

Well, it's it's it's our pleasure, and at this point we do feel like it's our responsibility now.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

How do you um talk about a little about the organization in terms of your fundraising? Um, if somebody wants to you know donate you know to this incredible cause, how do they do it? Um talk a little about how how you raise the money to provide these services to those families.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

So um we have a board. A board is uh a group of six to eight other local contractors who said, Hey Mike, we want to be involved, we want to assist. You know, we don't necessarily always have the time to go out and go to a funeral, go to a wake, do this, but we certainly have the means to kick in. You know, so we have um great companies like Parkies Construction, um, Seaford Plumbing, Arrow Steel Window, JC Broderick Associates, Environmental Consultants, Brant Services, Um Industrial Coverage Insurance. You know, companies like these have been so great for so good to us. You know, last year we had our busiest year ever. And for our foundation, busy is not good. Um, we had 21 children's funerals, um, one line of duty, and three other police officers that we assisted in their um funeral course who died due to accidental causes, causes. And um Emily Rennick being one of them, the police officer that was killed in the nail salon in Deer Park, um, you know, we covered her funeral expenses. But it was a very busy year. And, you know, we we December was coming, our big fundraiser is in March, and we were running out of money. And I had to call our board up and say, guys, I apologize. I don't know how to tell you this. You gave me $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 already. We're running out of money, and we may not make it to March, and we how could we ever say no? And they were great. Like instantly, they all wrote checks, they refunded the account, and they were fantastic to get us to our gala. So our gala, which is every March, is our biggest fundraiser of the year. And typically, excluding from last year, it raises enough money to carry us for the entire year. It's done in March. This year, I believe it's um March 15th, and it's at Villa Lombardi's, it's six to seven hundred people. Um, it's a huge turnout, but we we will raise close to a half a million dollars after everything's said and done, and that will carry us mostly throughout through the year. Um, and uh, you know, that's one of our biggest fundraisers. And then in October, so one of the other things the foundation does is um Nassau County, Suffolk, and New York City, predominantly Nassau and Suffolk, they have uh the PBAs have widows and children's funds. So for the officers' families who are lost in the line of duty, these funds are available to those families that help um keep them close together, get them some extra Christmas gifts during Christmas time, you know, maybe a trip with just the widows, whether go out to the wineries, or you know, just kind of keep them all in the family and and let them know they're not forgotten about. And um about eight years ago, one of the guys from Nassau County came to me and goes, uh, I said, How can I help your your your your department? And they says, We have no one, the person that used to fund our widows and orphans fund has moved on and they're not doing it anymore. It's not funded anymore. And I was like, Well, that has to be funded, right? So um, so every year in October, we've raised money to help supply the Nassau uh Widows and Children's Fund, and um and that grew into also now doing Suffolk County's Widows and Children's Fund. You know, so every year we raise money, we give them somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000 a year, each department, and that goes towards the Widows and Children's Fund. So that fundraiser happens, you know, in October, um which is you know a really it's a it's a great thing, and it's a great, you know, really to show our support for our local law enforcement.

unknown 17:01

It's great.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Yeah, I mean yeah, that's supporting the you know law enforcement is such a you know key part, right? I mean they people don't realize sometimes how much they they do, and it's selfless, you know, their work that they go out there are first responders, and you know, you know, we just came off of uh you know 9-11, and you know, you think about that, right? I mean, as people are running out of the building, you know, fearing for their safety, they're going in. And they have families, they have children, they have spouses, mothers, fathers, um and they put that all to the side to protect us.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

Which is um you know, it's an unbelievable thing. You know, and whenever I talk to these young cops these days, you know, I I I let them know because I've been to too many police funerals, right? And I'm like, you know, you don't know if you're gonna come home from work this day. You don't know what's gonna happen on a routine traffic stop, you don't know what's gonna happen on a routine domestic violence call. You don't know what's gonna happen if you just show up to thinking it's a small fender bender. You know, you just don't, your day doesn't know that way. And um, I happen to be um engaged to um a widow. Her late husband was killed, uh Paul Tuzolo was killed in the Bronx in 2016, you know. So um in having her in my life and her two young boys in my life, I see the tragedy every day. I see, you know, what they go through every single day, that loss, you know, um, even though I'm a positive example in the boys' lives, um, nothing will replace their father. You know, and when when you see it every day, it even you know, it makes it even more passionate that you know you have to make sure all these families feel it and see it.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

And and how do you know the families, you know, whether they be from a law enforcement family or you know, a family on Long Island, you know, in a high schooler that unfortunately tragically lost their life, how do they find out about you? Is it how does that usually happen?

SPEAKER_03 19:07

So over the years, it was really out of the news, right? It would pop up on the news, tragic car accident, you know, child dies, and we would try to reach out through a school district because we always felt like that was uh the safest way to get to the family without being some weirdo calling a family when they just lost their child. Like if they went to school, let's call get in touch with the school, let's contact the superintendent. Superintendent would contact the principal, the principal reach out to the family and say there's an organization. So we we really count on the news a lot. And then we decided just a few years ago, um, well, let's just talk to the superintendents directly. And so we did this um last year in Suffolk County. We went and spoke to all the superintendents directly in one room, and we found out that we were missing a lot. We were missing a lot in the terms of we only captured the big news stories. The big news stories were always a car accident or something like that. But it wasn't, you know, a two, you know, a second grader that had been battling cancer for a few years, or you know, I I couldn't believe last year we had four kids under the age 18. Connor Kayson was was uh just turned 18 years old, had cardiac arrest on ice rink. There were three other children that we paid for the funerals last year that were in second grade and two in third grade cardiac arrest and passed away. You know, very bizarre. Oh my god, bizarre circumstances, but we would have never, those weren't, they didn't make the news. So by reaching out directly to the superintendents and speaking to them directly, you were able to capture all those other families that needed assistance that we didn't otherwise know about. And that's what's really changed the foundation and its trajectory of helping, you know, and and we're trying to now do that again in Nassau County because we feel like we need we're missing something in Nassau still. So we're still trying to contact and work with those superintendents so uh they would know about us. But the schools is a is a great way to um, you know, have that tool in their toolbox because they have to deal with the loss of a child too, you know, and doing this for so many years and talking to these teachers, she goes, you don't know how odd it is when you go back to school the next day and little Johnny's desk is empty. And all those kids sitting around, they know little Johnny's never coming back, you know. So um, you know, we work a lot with the schools. We rely on the schools for um information when they have something. And they and they're you know, they're extremely appreciative. They just um gave us an award last week, ironically, um, you know, but because of all our help, but we don't do this for awards. We don't do this for um any sort of fanfare at all. It's our calling, it's what we have to do, and that's really what we feel strongly about.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

Well, accept the award because you deserve it. Uh and then you know the more people who see that you got the award learn about you. Right. So look at it that way. It's it's it's a positive uh positive effect there. And it's promise of hope foundation.org is the website.

SPEAKER_03 22:13

Promise of Hope Foundation.org. If you would like to donate, there's a donate button. Uh no donation is too small or too big. You know, um one thing is for sure, um we have no paid employees, everything's done on a volunteer basis. Um, every dollar that we get goes directly towards the foundation and making you know a huge difference in um you know changing someone's life in their darkest hour. So um if if you were so kind, please consider us. I know there's a lot of great causes out there, but um it again has been you know a very challenging year, and uh we've been very busy with funerals. Um we just paid for the funeral of late police officer Islam that was killed in in New York City. Um you know it's been uh unfortunately another busy year, so please donate.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

Wow. Um so Sal, why don't you how did you and Mike get together? Like when did you start working together?

SPEAKER_02 23:10

And and how unfortunately there was a tragedy in the Lonewood School District, and um the superintendent uh reached out to uh myself and also I guess the superintendent reached out to Mike as well. And um, you know, we did what we had to do for the family on our end, and then Mike uh was gracious enough to pay for the uh cemetery uh plot for the family, and that's how we began uh you know working together.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Yeah, that's uh and and you see obviously a lot, you know, in terms of your on your side of the business, on the funeral home side, and having a resource like Mike, I'm sure, is really important to the community asset.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

It's uh you know, as as Mike was saying in uh the in the parents' uh worst time, at least Mike is there and his uh board and foundation uh there to give uh the families uh a little bit of help uh just to get them through the funeral and all. And it's uh it's a great, great, great organization. So if anyone's thinking about donating, please donate. Um I can't speak highly, uh, you know, I can't speak uh highly I can only speak highly about this organization. It's a great organization.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

Yeah, that's uh that's fantastic. And and the um also kind of like you know, your your uh transition into the law enforcement support is really, you know, it's something that seemed like there was a big need for, you know, and especially stepping up to do that.

SPEAKER_03 24:24

It it has been uh overwhelming the response from law enforcement and you know, and us being able to do that. A lot of them the police commissioners didn't even know that the line, you know, a line of duty police officer's funeral is not paid for by the department, you know.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

Most people would probably be speaking.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

You tell somebody that and they almost fall on the floor because they're like, how is that possible? This person just died for their job, but they don't. Now, don't get me wrong, there's a lot of great foundations that will help step in and help support that family. The one thing that's unique about ours is it's immediate. There's no hesitation, there's no um taking our time. Um you know, we hear about it, we react to it, we do it. It's it's it's instantaneous. If, God forbid you lose someone on a Friday, if it's not by Friday night, by Saturday morning, you they know we're here. Don't worry about that burden, it's taken care of. Just tell us where you're you're gonna have your services, we handle it from there. And that's the key is not being a burden to the family. There's not an application process. There's not, you know, submit this here and we'll get back to the case. No red tape. There's no red tape. And it's ironic, you know, um, we had to fill out paperwork. We were someone said we would love to give you a grant. And, you know, we had to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and they're like, all right, we need to know your processes and your procedures of making sure this money goes to a needy family and it goes to this and goes to that. And, you know, we wrote down our process and procedure is it's just called, like, um, if you say you need help, we're gonna help you. You know, and um that's our process and procedure. They weren't fond of our process of procedure. We winded up not getting that grant um because they wanted to see a little more rigorous. There's no time. There's no time when you lose a child or a police officer passes away. There's to me, there's no time to have a process and and and ask them to fill out paperwork and could you prove to me you can't afford it? You know, that's to me, that's no time to start questioning a family. You know, to us, if you call us and you say you need it and we have it, you're getting it.

SPEAKER_01 26:33

Yeah, that's our process. It's for for a lot of people, it's hard to accept, you know, quote unquote charity.

SPEAKER_03 26:43

Yeah. And you know, uh for a family to to uh uh be going through that and then saying, Yes, I need the help is even it's it's very it's very humbling, you know, and and real and that's why the connection with the schools even helps more, because it's usually the superintendent or the principal or the teacher that's speaking directly with the family, that kind of has a relationship with the family, and it's a trusted person, right? There, that's your school, you trust him. Um, so we all we ask the school, could you please ask the question? Like, you know, if you need the help, we're here to support you, and that's it. Now, all they need to do is say yes or no. And listen, don't get me wrong, there's people that say, We're fine, thank you, save it for somebody else. Not as not that often, but it it does happen. Or even someone that's just full of pride. I remember speaking to a grandfather, and um, you know, we offered our services. The grandfather called me up and goes, listen, I could really use the money, but to me, it's a matter of principle that I pay for my granddaughter's funeral. He goes, I can't afford it, but I have to figure this out. She's my granddaughter, and I totally respect that. I wasn't insulted or bothered or even pressured him. I understand his position. Maybe I'd feel the same way if I was in his position. But the reality is nobody saves for their kids' funeral. I don't know a soul who saves for their kid's funeral. So God forbid this was to happen to you, we will step in and assist.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

Promise of Hope Foundation.org.org. We're not going to use anything.

SPEAKER_03 28:21

Nothing else. My assistant will get very upset with me if I say that wrong. Promise of Hope dot org.

SPEAKER_01 28:27

Uh, and there's a phone, is is the phone number 631-608-6988? That is correct. Okay. So they can call.

SPEAKER_03 28:36

They could call if they need assistance. They could email. Um, if you have a uh a situation, you can certainly call the number. It's answered all the time, or send in an email. It it alerts us when there's an email that comes through, and we just decipher if this is a donation or a question email or if it's a family that actually needs assistance.

SPEAKER_01 28:54

That is fantastic. And and Sal, I know you have a lot going on uh with the foundation. You've been doing a lot of work out there, um, you know, as usual, you know, supporting local community groups and and churches and St. Cyril and St. Matthews and a whole bunch of you know organizations that are out there. Uh and big news, right? You are uh one of the official grand marshals of the Long Island Columbus Day Parade. Yes, thank you. Very exciting. So you have Italian pride for that? Are you ready? Absolutely, very nice. Absolutely marching. That that is fantastic. That's October 11th. Um the Long Island Columbus Day Parade is being hosted in the town of Babylon uh this year, uh, starting at the uh Deer Park Fire Department and marching up to the Constantino Brumidity Lodge. Um, Sal, so I know you're gonna be uh front and center. Thank you. Yes, absolutely. Uh which is gonna be great. And um, I know you have an upcoming event on October 5th. Uh you have your annual shredding event that's taking place. So talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_02 29:54

Um so yeah, we have an annual shredding event. Um people bring um you know the papers, uh things they want to uh, you know, shred that uh they don't want uh to get into the wrong hands. We have an on-site uh shredding truck, and it'll be uh on October 5th uh from uh 9 to 12. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

All right, great. Thank you everybody for joining us today. Please check back again next time. Wonderful event we had here today, and we want to thank everybody for joining us, and we want to thank the Mangano Family Foundation and Promise of Hope Foundation.

SPEAKER_00 30:34

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