“This year’s Week of Giving highlights the increased focus on year-long dedication of IICF members and the insurance industry as a whole to supporting communities in need,” said Bill Ross, CEO of IICF. “Insurance professionals from across the U.S. and U.K. have spent this year volunteering and raising funds to make a lasting impact on their communities and we’re proud to say that as a foundation, and as an industry united in philanthropy, we’ve made a difference.”
The 2019 Week of Giving featured projects such as: meal preparation and serving the homeless and those struggling with food insecurity, park, beach and community cleanups, literacy fairs, blood drives, book drives and projects supporting seniors, young women who’ve lost their mothers, military veterans, special needs children and adults, home building and construction efforts. Events included:
- Dallas and Houston National Cemetery Cleanups: 700 volunteers set out to clean 75,000 headstones, wash memorial plaques and beautify the final resting places of military veterans.
- Early Literacy Fairs: More than 250 volunteers in Chicago, Dallas, London, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco worked with hundreds of preschool children on projects designed to improve literacy and inspire a love of learning. IICF early literacy events were hosted in conjunction with nonprofits and preschools including Breakthrough, Mi Escuelita, Child Center of New York’s Head Start Center, Jumpstart and others serving children and their families in underserved communities throughout the five IICF divisions.
- New Haven Community Building: IICF’s Northeast Division worked with Life Line Chaplaincy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families and caregivers in need. Volunteers held a community dinner and then worked on building and repairing homes in the area.
- Dress for Success. The IICF United Kingdom Division, celebrating its fifth anniversary next year, invited volunteers to run the Dress for Success Boutique for one day. Volunteers sorted and catalogued clothing donations and led client appointments to share wardrobe and interview advice with women looking to re-enter the workforce.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities through IICF, please visit our Volunteer website.
About the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF)
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is a unique nonprofit that unites the collective strengths of the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives through grants, volunteer service and leadership. Established in 1994, IICF has served as the philanthropic foundation of the insurance industry for more than twenty-five years, contributing $36 million in community grants along with 300,000 volunteer hours by more than 110,000 industry professionals. IICF reinvests locally where funds are raised, serving hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations, for maximum community impact. IICF is a registered nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Learn more at www.iicf.org or follow us on Twitter @doubleicf.