Klein Tools Helping Fight Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis

Toolmaker Klein Tools in Lincolnshire, Ill., is dedicated to fighting deadly diseases. The company’s chairman, Mat Klein, learned in 2009 that his granddaughter Anna had the genetic disorder Cystic Fibrosis.

The Klein family had no knowledge of this disease or the fact that they silently carried it. Within months the family, spearheaded by Kristyn Klein (Anna’s aunt), participated in their first Great Strides event to raise money for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, with Klein Tools sponsoring the team.

For the past four years, Klein Tools has played a pivotal role in sponsoring the team and raising funds and awareness through events such as “jeans” week, where an employee pays $5 to wear jeans to work. This year alone, Team Anna Maniacs, with the help of friends, family, and employees, raised almost $27,000.  When combined with the previous years, Klein has helped raise $88,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research.

Since 2006, Klein Tools, makers of tools and testers for integrators, and its employees have also supported the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks. Klein Tools president, Thomas R. Klein makes a significant donation and challenges employees to match it.  For the event, Klein Tools provides tee-shirts, coordinates meeting places, and celebrates afterwards with an employee appreciation meeting.

Klein Tools has raised $10,000 each October through a combination of fundraising activities, including jeans week, candy apple sales, raffles, pledges and product incentives. The company also has a team page encouraging employees to sign up to walk, sponsor a walker or make contributions.

Lastly, after receiving the terrifying news, the diagnosis of their children with cancer, three local families and their affiliated places of work decided to take a stand and help find a cure.  Steiner Electric and Continental Electric reached out to other companies from the electrical industry in the Chicagoland area for help.  Twenty-four companies, including Klein Tools, jumped on board to form the CEI (Chicago Electrical Industry) team to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Walk and Roll event. Klein Tools’ team consisted of 28 individuals from multiple Klein plants to walk at the event. Through the efforts of these team members as well as Klein sponsored donations, raffles, and jeans week events, the team raised well over $7,000.  When combined with the other CEI teams, the electrical industry raised over $240,000.

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