National Insurance Task Force Changes Its Name
NU Online News Service, Aug. 2, 10:15 a.m. EDT?The National Insurance Task Force organization, which works to improve insurance accessibility and affordability in lower-income and minority communities, has changed its name to NeighborWorks Insurance Alliance.[@@]
The 10-year-old group said the change reflects its evolution from a task force working in 13 communities to a national initiative helping hundreds of NeighborWorks organizations.
Initially the organization got its start when the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation convened a handful of leaders from the insurance industry and the NeighborWorks network in 1994 to discuss issues of insurance availability and affordability in NeighborWorks communities. That group became known as the National Insurance Task Force.
The NITF provided a forum where insurers and community development professionals could talk openly about difficulties and opportunities in expanding the affordability and availability of insurance products in lower-income and minority communities.
NITF, now the NIA, said the group had developed unique programs that educated homeowners about obtaining adequate coverage and reducing risk, while raising awareness among insurers about the subtleties of writing policies in these communities.
"Thanks to NITF programs like the Loss Prevention Partnerships and others, many NeighborWorks communities are safer, more stable, and more economically viable," said Kenneth D. Wade, executive director of Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation.
"In order to spread this success throughout the NeighborWorks network, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation has created the NeighborWorks Insurance Alliance as NITF's successor. Embracing the same basic mission as the NITF, the NIA will extend its innovative programs and lessons learned to all 225 organizations in the national NeighborWorks network," said Mr. Wade.
"Insurers have found that the NeighborWorks network is the most effective vehicle for meeting their missions and better serving low- to moderate-income communities," said Todd Pittman, NIA director. "This change will enable them to reach a much larger population." Mr. Pittman also served as director of the NITF since its inception.
The NIA will hold its annual meeting and celebrate the 10th anniversary of NeighborWorks? national insurance partnership efforts August 12 in Washington, D.C.
The NeighborWorks network, which was founded by the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, is composed of more than 225 community-based nonprofit organizations that are working to revitalize 2,553 communities through resident-led affordable housing and community development activities. NeighborWorks organizations involve the work of thousands of residents, business people, government officials and other partners.
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, created by an Act of Congress in 1978, strengthens the NeighborWorks network through training, technical assistance and funding. Neighborhood Reinvestment provided $66 million in grants to the network in fiscal year 2003. The total direct investment generated by the network has increased from $268.4 million in 1994 to more than $1.9 billion in 2003.
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