ALEXANDRIA, VA. Dec. 20, 2007—While 2007 has turned out to be a relatively mild year for both natural and man-made disasters, there is no way to predict what the New Year will bring. To better prepare to meet disaster assistance needs in 2008 and beyond, the charitable foundation for Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. (the Big “I”) has created the Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief Fund. The Big “I” will make the first contribution to the fund.
The Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief Fund was established by the IIAA Educational Foundation of the Big “I” to assist others who have suffered losses due to natural or man-made disasters. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity and all contributions are tax deductible.
“By establishing a permanent relief fund, we will be ready to financially assist victims when and where a disaster strikes, rather than raising the funds after the fact, as we did for 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina,” says Bob Rusbuldt, president & CEO of the Big “I”. “This fund is a great way to show our ongoing support as an industry for victims of disasters.”
“Many people make charitable contributions in December,” says Bob Fulwider, Chairman of the Big “I” and principal and executive vice president of the Ray Wuestenberg Agency, Inc., in West Liberty, Iowa and the Fulwider Agency, Inc., in West Branch, Iowa. “The Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief Fund is a great way to assist fellow independent agents and industry colleagues during their greatest time of need, along with the clients we all serve, and take a tax deduction for helping people.”
The fund will make cash grants to those in the insurance industry, including Big “I” members and their agency staffs, and others to pay for immediate or ongoing financial needs when other funding sources (such as insurance and other grants) are not available, to fill the gap until other funding sources can be accessed and to provide insurance agents with supplies and resources to assist with disaster relief efforts to aid victims and surviving family members in their communities.
To make a tax-deductible contribution, send a check payable to the “Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief Fund” to:
Attn: Lillian Carter
Trusted Choice® Disaster Relief Fund
127 S. Peyton St
Alexandria, VA 22314
To make a contribution via credit card, call Lillian Carter at 800-221-7917, extension 5372. For more information, go to www.independentagent.com and click on “About Us”.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life, and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.