Inspiration

It’s not very often that Insurance Journal editors have the pleasure of publishing good news. We have enjoyed pulling together this special issue of Insurance Journal – The Charity Issue — that is filled with representative stories of charitable efforts by the insurance industry. Given the outpouring of caring and support in the wake of this year’s natural disasters, it was a challenge to narrow down the stories to a number we could fit in this report but it was a welcome challenge.

This year will be remembered as a year filled with devastation for individuals and businesses due to historic Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as the wildfires. These and other crises kept insurance professionals busy all year. But not too busy to also give back to their communities and those in need.

“The industry has been incredibly responsive and generous during this very difficult disaster driven year,” says Alisa Breese of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation. For Harvey relief, the insurance industry alone committed more than $15 million directly to relief efforts.

Of course, insurance professionals did more than donate dollars. They participated in hundreds of volunteer events in 2017. They spent thousands of hours volunteering for education, at-risk women, children and youth, the homeless and food insecure, adults and children with disabilities, military veterans, pet rescues, cancer research, health and human services, and other charitable causes.

There are countless stories of good deeds done by insurance professionals and organizations, a number that goes well beyond those printed in pages of this special issue. Our web site InsuranceJournal.com will feature additional photos and stories of charitable deeds in the coming days and weeks. Check it out.

We hope you will be inspired like we have been by the industry’s generosity and kindness. We encourage all of our readers to give so that others who might be without this time of year enjoy a happier holiday season and are blessed with renewed hope for a better new year. To all of you who have given and will give, thank you. Best wishes for a happy holiday and a healthy and prosperous new year … to all.