Joshua Furnas

Joshua Furnas (born December 16, 1984) is a former American football player, social advocate, and co-founder of Selfless Tee.^[1]

Early years

Furnas was born in Elmira, New York and attended high school at Elmira Free Academy. Furnas was a three-year starter on both the varsity football and baseball teams. In 2003, Furnas was also awarded "Twin Tiers Defensive Player of the year" by the Elmira Star-Gazette.^[2] Furnas was also a co-recipient of EFA's Male Athlete of the Year award.

College career

Furnas played four seasons at University at Albany, SUNY.^[3] He missed the entire 2003 and 2004 seasons due to injury; he was granted a medical red shirt his first year. In 2005, Josh hauled in seven catches for 101 yards.^[4] In 2006, Josh's final season, he caught seven passes for 90 yards and one touchdown.^[5] Josh's lone touchdown was against the then nationally ranked University of Delaware Blue Hens.

After college

In 2007, Furnas graduated from Albany with a degree in business. Furnas spent the next few years as general manager of the Big Moose Deli & Country Store in Hoosick, New York.^[6] Furnas, along with former Albany teammate Danny Bocanegra, co-founded Selfless Tee.^[7] Selfless Tee is a for-profit organization geared toward making "fashionable clothing with a social conscience."^[8]

In March 2010, Selfless Tee was awarded a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Project.^[9]

In January 2013, Furnas was featured in a San Francisco Chronicle news article about young entrepreneurs living in pop-up rentals. Furnas pays to rent a living room closet in a Bayview house of an Ecuadorian family of 7.^[10]

Misophonia

Furnas is a sufferer and well known awareness advocate of 'Hatred of Sound' Disorder, Misophonia.^[11] On May 18, 2012 Furnas was featured on ABC's news magazine television show, 20/20,^[12] openly speaking about his battle with misophonia.

TEDx

In 2012, Furnas began participating in independently organized TEDx events promoting his ideas for social innovation.^[13]

On November 10, 2012, Furnas was featured at TEDx Chemung River in New York.^[14] The topic which Furnas spoke of was "The Art of the Tee: Fashioning a Better World".^[15]

References