NAILBA Perspectives - September/October 2015 - (Page 16)

nailba charitable foundation We Can't Do What We Do Without You A MICHAEL T. SMITH PRESIDENT, NAILBA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION nother successful year of NAILBA Charitable Foundation grants awards is complete* and now we begin again with a new set of goals for a bigger and better year. It is important to remember the fundamentals of the program and its continued importance. It is a sad irony that in challenging economic times, donations are tougher to sustain but financial need is greater than ever. The Foundation leadership is so grateful to NAILBA members and corporate partners who give selflessly so that the NAILBA Charitable Foundation can grow and increase its generosity in our communities. As an engaged business professional, you support various community charities. You donate to worthy causes within the boundaries of your business and household community-so why should you extend yourself and give to one more? Why is a charitable foundation associated with your professional asso- 16 perspectives SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 ciation so important? Because, in an industry geared toward personal relationships and personal integrity, making those connections and reaching out to your community just makes good sense. Significant grants have been awarded to charitable causes within the communities of NAILBA members. Since the launch of the Foundation in 2002, more than two million dollars have been awarded to more than 140 charities*. How does that affect you and your agency? Well, besides helping the individual cause, the name "NAILBA" filters out to communities and makes more people aware of who we are and what we do. The Foundation contributes within our community as well. For the last several years, the Foundation has donated to Life Happens to support the Life Lessons Scholarships Program. Late in the spring, NAILBA members and Foundation staff served as preliminary reviewers for some of the more than 2,000 written and video essays submitted for the scholarship program. Reviewers considered criteria of each submission based on how compelling the story, how instructive the story was about the importance of planning and procuring life insurance, and how determined the entrant has been to overcome the loss of a parent to go forward with his/her goals. Anyone who reads the written essays or sees the videos can tell you how heartwrenching the stories were and, in a professional sense, how it reinforces the good that our industry does for people and families. Every year, other charitable grants are awarded to worthy charitable causes as submitted and endorsed by NAILBA members and corporate supporters. Those charity names and grant amounts are available on the NAILBA Charitable Foundation website (www. nailbacharitablefoundation.org). The decision on which charities to select is always difficult but is also eye-opening as the Foundation responds to very real, yet diverse needs within the communities in which NAILBA members operate. From cancer survivors to wounded warriors, Foundation grants make a difference in the lives of so many, thanks to your contributions. Your annual donation (with or without a marketing group's matching program), your contribution to the online auction (www.biddingforgood. com/nailbaauction), your purchase of raffle tickets at the Annual Meeting, all mean we can plan for another year of giving back. The NAILBA Charitable Foundation Board of Directors is very grateful for your ongoing support. Questions about the NAILBA Charitable Foundation or its various fundraising activities may be directed to Kathy Allison, Director of Membership and the Foundation, by phone at 703.383.3072, or by email at kallison@nailba.org. We would love to hear from you! We can't do what we do without you. Thank you. *Editor's note: as of press time, the 2015 Foundation grants have not been awarded. Watch this space in the November/December issue for a list of grants and sponsors. http://www.nailbacharitablefoundation.org http://www.nailbacharitablefoundation.org http://www.biddingforgood.com/nailbaauction http://www.biddingforgood.com/nailbaauction

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - September/October 2015

NAILBA Perspectives - September/October 2015
Contents
Chariman's Corner
CEO Insights
The Fine Art of Transition
NAILBA Charitable Foundation
Agency Successor Networking Group
Life Happens
Gearing up for NAILBA 34
NAILBA 34 Program Review
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers

NAILBA Perspectives - September/October 2015