As Kankakee, Ill., rebuilds from a recent EF‑3 tornado, AHF Products is supporting local employees and helping the community recover. A VCT plant, which was originally part of Armstrong Flooring and acquired by AHF in 2022, has been central to the Kankakee community for more than 75 years.
From the earliest days after the storm, AHF’s HR and plant leadership teams have been working closely with employees to ensure their safety and provide immediate support. While all employees remained safe, many experienced significant personal losses including major home and vehicle damage.
“I’m grateful all of our employees remained safe, but the impact on their lives was significant,” said Brent Emore, CEO. “Our teams have stayed close to every employee to make sure no one is navigating this alone. The resilience they’ve shown supporting each other, keeping operations moving and helping their neighbors says everything about who they are.”
To meet both immediate and long‑term needs, AHF is implementing a comprehensive relief plan which includes assisting affected employees with flooring, supporting the broader community with a donation in the name of its Kankakee employees to the United Way Emergency Response Fund, and helping local residents rebuild by extending its Friends & Family flooring discount to all Kankakee residents impacted by the storm.
AHF is also helping the Kankakee Valley Theatre Association (KVTA) repair its facility, which sustained damage in the minutes before the tornado touched down. A severe hailstorm punctured more than 200 holes in the roof; the air‑conditioning unit was torn from the building; outdoor storage units holding props and set pieces were carried nearly a mile away and the theater’s sign, canopy and siding were destroyed.
A rehearsal had been scheduled for that evening, but the director made a last‑minute decision to cancel. “Seeing the damage and knowing we would have been inside if rehearsal hadn’t been canceled was chilling,” Courtney Stephens, KVTA president, shared. “And compared to our neighbors whose buildings were demolished, we were lucky.”
The roof was repaired quickly, but other work continues as contractors and materials become available. Several theater members also lost homes or vehicles, and the tornado struck during the week of a major youth production. Local schools, churches and arts organizations stepped in to provide temporary performance and rehearsal spaces, helping the theater continue its programming despite the disruption.
KVTA’s flooring—likely Armstrong VCT installed more than 70 years ago—has endured decades of heavy use from rehearsals, children’s camps, set storage and constant chair removal and replacement. The new black VCT flooring will help improve the viewing experience by reducing light reflection from existing white floors.
“Replacing our old, tattered VCT with new, beautiful VCT means everything to us,” Stephens said. “As a not‑for‑profit, this wasn’t practical before the storm. We are incredibly grateful to AHF for this donation and for helping us continue providing beautiful art in a beautiful space.”
“We supported our team from the moment the storm passed, and we remain committed to standing with them—and with the entire community—as rebuilding continues,” Emore added.
