Assurant
 
In the Community

 

Assurant Solutions/Assurant Specialty Property

Our Mission

Assurant recognizes its responsibilities to our communities and is aware that their health and welfare is essential to our long-term success as a business enterprise. This is accomplished in part through our United Way Gift Matching Program and our Targeted Giving Program.

Consistent with our efforts to promote volunteerism, Assurant supports associates who want to help their communities with the opportunity of a paid day off annually to volunteer at company-approved organizations for community projects and activities. Associates are encouraged to participate in the volunteer program to support their community. In 2007, the program accounted for approximately 2,800 hours of volunteer time in our domestic U.S. locations and Canada.

2007 Charitable Giving Highlights

Over the past six years, Assurant Solutions/Assurant Specialty Property has contributed a total of $7,595,312 to charitable organizations and programs in the areas of education, health and human services and art and cultural organizations, with a special interest in affordable housing and the provision of food for the less fortunate.

In 2007, Assurant contributed $1,598,562 designated as follows: $336,408 to education programs, $102,250 to arts and culture, and $1,124,904 to various health and human services programs, of which $606,847 was directed to United Way organizations enterprise wide through our gift matching program. A total of $35,000 was allocated as “other” giving.

Major Recipients ($10,000+)

Arts and Culture

  • Actor’s Playhouse - $10,000
  • Miami Children’s Museum - $10,000
  • Miami City Ballet - $10,000
  • Miami Art Museum - $10,000
  • New World Symphony - $10,000
  • Woodruff Arts Center - $25,000

Education

  • Barry University, Florida International University, Florida Memorial College, Georgia State
  • Georgia State University - $10,000
  • Georgia Tech Foundation - $25,000
  • Florida International University - $100,000
  • Literacy Action - $15,000
  • Southern Business Institute - $10,000

Health and Human Services

  • AMBUCS - $10,000
  • American Cancer Society - $25,000
  • American Heart Association - $28,500
  • Atlanta Community Food Bank - $10,000
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters – $19,000
  • Habitat for Humanity – $110,300 in 2006 - $50,000 (4-year commitment totaling $200,000)
  • Meet the Needs - $10,000
  • Raleigh’s Place - $10,000
  • United Way - $664,415
  • YMCA - $75,000

Other

  • Zoological Society of Florida - $25,000
  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - $10,000

Highlights of Charitable/Community Volunteer Projects

  • United Way Campaign
    Activities included bake sales, silent auctions, car washes, basketball competitions, game shows, dunk tanks, gift giveaways, performances and various item drawings. The campaign raised $713,487 in pledges and fundraisers which, when matched by Assurant, resulted in $1.4 million for United Way. Employees in Puerto Rico kicked off their campaign participating in the United Way Day of Caring.
  • Habitat For Humanity
    Miami completed a sixth Habitat for Humanity home on February 10, 2007 in the Scott Carver community in Liberty City. This year’s project was part of the 2007 9th Annual Blitz Build, an accelerated building initiative whereby twelve homes are built in twelve days with the help of sponsors, homeowners and volunteers. Atlanta also completed their sixth Habitat for Humanity home in Cobb County on November 18. A total of 225 Assurant employees, relatives and friends worked on the 10-week project, including an international team from Assurant Solutions’ Global Sales Conference. Canada also partnered with Habitat for Humanity Kingston for their 2007 Blitz Build of their third Habitat home.
  • American Cancer Society-Relay For Life
    Employees in Miami, Atlanta and Florence participated in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, raising more than $41,365 collectively.
  • Community Food Banks
    Employees in Miami volunteered at the Daily Bread Food Bank South Dade branch sorting over 22,170 pounds of food.
  • Great American Bake Sale
    Assurant raised a total of $3,024 to support this initiative, increasing the total contributed over the past five years to over $88,000. Share Our Strength is a leading anti-hunger organization that helps fight childhood hunger across America.
  • Other Projects
    • A disabled Iraq war veteran and his family from Lawton, Oklahoma were presented a new home through the efforts of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Mark Davis, vice president and manager of the Lawton center, presented Assurant’s corporate contribution of $10,000 to the Westbrook family. Assurant associates in Lawton, Atlanta and Miami raised an additional $4,000 for the family. The president of the Lawton Chamber of Commerce and the executive producer of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition have recognized Assurant as a “good neighbor in the community” for the support that Assurant and employees at the Lawton Contact Center have provided.
    • Volunteer Fairs were held for the first time in Atlanta and Miami and in Scottsdale. Collectively, 21 non-profit organizations participated in these fairs to share their volunteer opportunities available to our associates. Organizations represented were: American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Atlanta Food Bank, A and A Cottages, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Childkind, Children’s Restoration Services, Education Fund, Everybody Wins South Florida, Florida Breast Health Initiative, Foundation for Senior Living, Hands on Miami, and Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, St. Mary’s Food Bank, West Valley Child Crisis Center, and United Way.
    • Another initiative in Atlanta and Miami collected hand-written letters to U.S. military troops stationed outside of the country over the holidays, expressing our thanks for their commitment and personal sacrifices. American Reliable also held several drives to purchase items for our military troops.
    • In conjunction with Puerto Rico’s branding initiative, CALAC branded jackets were donated to the victims of the earthquake in Peru. In addition, children in need from Emilio del Toro Community School received pens, pencils, notepads, highlighters, cups and bags.
    • Approximately 360 Atlanta associates and family members participated in the Kaiser Permanente Corporate 5K Run/Walk and company picnic on September 27. Assurant won the “Participation Award” for fielding the largest team, an increase of more than 150 participants from 2006, in addition to a plaque for first place participation in the insurance industry category and second place overall award for women runners.
    • Over 400 associates participated in the annual 5K (3.1 mile) Mercedes Benz Corporate Run on May 3. Assurant had the third largest team represented by associates, spouses, children and other family members from both Miami and Assurant Health in Miami Lakes, Florida. John Owen lead the team with “Beat the CEO” challenge and also competed in the race’s CEO run.
    • Sponsorships for other walks included, American Cancer Society and Susan G. Koman Race for breast cancer, American Heart Walk, March of Dimes WalkAmerica, Multiple Sclerosis, Juvenile Diabetes, Transplant Foundation, Sickle Cell Anemia, Lupus, and Autism walks.
    • Project Elf Holiday drives were held in Miami in November/December. The Angel Tree drive provided 600 children (via the Community Health of South Dade) with toys for the holidays. In addition, associates donated over 200 unwrapped toys for the New Toy Drive. Six bicycles were also collected for drawings held at the holiday party.
    • Various food, clothing and toy drives were held for Daily Bread, Atlanta Community, North Texas, Lawton, and St. Mary’s Food Banks, Children’s Restoration Network, Children’s Home Society, North Middle School, SafeSpace, Hope Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Simon Community, Salvation Army, Children’s Hospitals, Hope at the Well, Atlanta Battered Women, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Toys for Tots. Also, blood drives were held for American Red Cross, Community Blood Center, South Florida Blood Bank, United Blood Services, and Life South.
    • Various other fundraisers were held for American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, National Alliance for Autism, March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, Care package items for troops in Iraq, Atlanta Community Food Bank, St. Mary’s Food Bank, Interval House, Lions Club International, Breast Cancer Research, Orange County Food Bank, Partners in Mission Food Bank, Community Partnership for the Homeless, Meet the Needs, Kids Across America, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Cystic Fibrosis, Mercy House, Lawton Food Bank, C. Carter Crane Emergency Homeless Shelter, Children’s Restoration Network, Red Cross National Floods Appeal, Bobby Moore Bowel Cancer Campaign, Childline, Wexham Park Hospital, Children in Need, Children’s Restoration Network, Stonybrook Island Park and Jeans for Genes
    • Other special events included Kids at Work Day in Miami and an on site performance from the Florida Grand Opera for our children at the Miami Satellite Learning Center. Other volunteer initiatives included:

      Associates from Miami joined over 4,000 volunteers to improve the community and raise funds for the 14th annual Hands on Miami Day in November. Volunteers picked up garbage on the beach, raked, pulled weeds and mulched.

      Associates from Miami signed up with “Everybody Wins,” a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting children’s literacy through shared reading experiences. Volunteers read to an assigned student for thirty minutes each week throughout the school year.

      Associates from Rapid City together with family and friends volunteered to decorate Storybook Island Park with Christmas lights.

      Tim Lee, a regional vice president for Assurant Solutions’ Automotive and Recreational Vehicle Services in Tampa, Florida, completed in the Ford Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii in October. Inspired by the death of a young cancer victim, Taylor Arrington, Tim organized a local walk/race to raise money for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. A total of $85,000 was raised from the event.

Community Awards and Recognition

For six consecutive years, Miami was recognized by the United Way of Miami-Dade as members of their Good Works Program. The program recognizes leaders committed to good community citizenship and investing in United Way’s plan to delivering measurable results.

Assurant Solutions’ Canada Operations Centre (Kingston, Ontario) was recognized and awarded as a “Child-friendly Organization” by the United Way for maintaining a family-friendly work environment that is supportive of employees with child-raising responsibilities.

Employees from the Centre also participated in the fourth annual Gingerbread House Competition in December to help raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

South Florida’s Leave a Legacy Program honored Assurant for its charitable giving and community involvement at its annual luncheon on May 17. Assurant was nominated for “Donor Next Door” honors by Barry University, one of the company’s long-time education partners. Leave a Legacy is a community program that promotes the personal and community benefits of charitable giving, fundraising and other efforts associated with planned giving.

 For further information, please contact: Debbie.Burbridge@assurant.com.

 

 
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