As an insurance company dedicated to making positive changes in the communities it serves, the Arbella Insurance Group prides itself on the incredible generosity and community spirit of its employees. In their personal lives, Arbella employees often donate to and volunteer with local charities throughout New England.
This has become a foundational part of Arbella's corporate culture and offers employees multiple avenues for charitable engagement in their professional lives.
The Arbella Insurance Foundation, formed in 2004 to formalize the company's charitable giving efforts, supports non-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella. When employees donate to causes that are meaningful to them, the foundation provides a matching donation to double employee contributions. Along with matching donations, the foundation partners with a variety of local organizations to provide employees with unique opportunities for charitable community engagement.
"Giving back is part of Arbella's DNA. As a corporation that does business in Greater Boston and across southern New England, it's our responsibility to contribute to the well-being of our communities," said John Donohue, chairman, president and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group and chairman of the Arbella Insurance Foundation.
During 2016, the Arbella Insurance Foundation and Arbella employees together donated $131,000 in charitable contributions and logged 1,731 volunteer hours with numerous organizations and social initiatives. The Foundation supported employees who took part in 52 charitable events and independently organized 57 workday volunteer events for employees. Thanks to their enthusiastic participation, employees were involved in a diverse and expansive list of walks, fundraisers, food drives, construction projects and other activities.
Focus on ending hunger
In recent years, the Arbella Insurance Foundation has had a special focus on organizations that combat hunger, homelessness and childhood poverty.
Food insecurity is an increasingly critical concern in New England. In Massachusetts alone, nearly 260,000 households struggle to feed themselves and their families. As poverty rates have increased nationwide in recent years, local communities have subsequently experienced greater needs.
In 2007, hunger became one of the Foundation's first charitable-giving initiatives, and employees responded immediately and passionately, becoming advocates for hunger relief by participating in food drives, collecting food pantry donations, and holding fundraising events with local hunger organizations.
"I feel great pride in working for a company that supports our communities, and with such a great group of people who continue to model one of our core corporate values of citizenship. The impact we have on families in need is overwhelming to me," said Jacqueline Kierstead, a claims manager at Arbella Insurance.
One notable partnership has been with Project Bread, an organization that provides funds to more than 300 hunger-relief programs in 100 communities across Massachusetts, thanks to collaborative fundraising events like the Walk for Hunger. For the past decade, almost 500 Arbella employees, families and friends form Team Arbella each spring and walk 20 miles to raise money for Project Bread. Meanwhile, the Arbella Foundation serves as the sole transportation sponsor of the Walk and supplements employee donations with a matched donation. Combined, this donation has made Team Arbella a top corporate fundraising team with a total of $820,400 raised in support of the Walk.
Arbella Insurance employees help sort clothing and school supplies at Cradles to Crayons. (Contributed photo: Arbella Insurance Foundation)
Helping the homeless
Homelessness rates remain high in New England, a reflection of overall national trends. According to recent statistics, the regional homeless population has increased faster than other regions in the nation, with more than 21,000 people experiencing some form of housing instability in Massachusetts.
In response, the Foundation supports numerous charities dedicated to alleviating this burden. These long-term partnerships include the New England Center and Home for Veterans, Interfaith Social Services and Father Bill's & Mainspring. For these organizations, the Arbella Insurance Foundation provides significant charitable contributions, but the giving doesn't stop there. Arbella employees volunteer regularly, through activities like serving meals to shelter guests and participating in large-scale painting projects.
"I have volunteered at Father Bill's & Mainspring both with the Arbella Foundation and in my local community," said Karin Martin, Arbella's director of customer service and commercial lines operations. "Father Bill's & Mainspring is an important organization to me because I have had personal relationships with people who have been guests at the facility. I get back as much as I give during these experiences."
Kelly Adams, director of operations at Arbella, added, "I had never volunteered at Father Bill's before the Foundation opportunity, and I was humbled by the humanity of the people who work there and their unwavering commitment to help. It's amazing to me that, just by offering our help in many little ways, we participate in the journey of saving a life."
Enriching children's lives
In these uncertain economic times, local children have also been affected by rising rates of poverty and homelessness. Their needs are especially pressing, as they often lack the resources necessary to have happy and successful lives in school and at home, which can hinder their future development.
From cultural activities to school supplies, the Foundation sponsors several programs that give children access to supplementary arts and science education and community events. These sponsorships include the youth concerts at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the science programs at the New England Wildlife Center, and the family programs at local YMCAs and Boys and Girls clubs.
Arbella employees volunteer throughout the year at Cradles to Crayons, a local charity that provides infants and children who are homeless or living in low-income neighborhoods essential daily items such as shoes, clothing, bedding, books, and other school and home supplies. Employees sort through items donated by the community to create age and gender appropriate "kid packs" for children in need and also take part in the charity's annual "Backpack-a-Thon," filling thousands of backpacks with school supplies for children who would otherwise go without.
"I've volunteered for two consecutive years at Cradles to Crayons," said Stephen Yeh, service center account specialist at Arbella. "It was so heart-warming to see the many different people volunteering their time and having a positive impact directly to the community. Knowing that I was contributing to society, with the help of the Foundation, put me in a very cheerful mood for the rest of the day."
The Arbella Insurance Foundation is proud of the mutually supportive relationship it has established with Arbella Insurance employees in charitable work and giving. Together, they have a proven legacy of giving back to their communities, and Arbella looks forward to all the new ways the Foundation and Arbella employees will help make positive changes for their friends, families, neighbors and local customers for years to come.
Beverly J. Tangvik is president of the Arbella Insurance Foundation. She can be reached at charitable.foundation@arbella.com.
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