Key highlights: 

• State Farm Where We Work is part of our commitment to creating a work environment where everyone can be their best.
• As an insurance company, we’re uniquely positioned to be able to help build safer communities – whether on the roads or in homes.
• Thriving communities are where neighbors can realize their dreams. Our community development giving encompasses job training, neighborhood reinvestment, affordable housing, food insecurities, personal financial literacy, and sustainable housing and transportation. 
• Education is one pathway toward building robust communities for today and tomorrow by creating opportunities for economic security. Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support higher education, K-12 STEM and academic performance, college, and career success.
• Being a good steward of our environmental resources just makes sense. In 2023, we advanced our efforts of preserving resources and reducing waste, while helping our customers do the same.
• We’re in the business of keeping our promises to our customers. Building trust is imperative to fostering an ethical culture with an inclusive environment that cultivates a sense of belonging for all. 

The State Farm Impact Report helps us share what matters most to us with those who are making decisions about their insurance, financial services, employment and more.

As a mutual company we do what is in the best, long-term interest of those we serve, knowing that a better world tomorrow starts with a stronger neighborhood today.

Projects on a budget

May is National Wildfire Preparedness Month and State Farm is here to help homeowners with simple projects that can be done on a budget over a weekend to help mitigate loss from a wildfire.

1. Create a 5-foot non-combustible barrier between your home and any vegetation on your property.
   1. Trim overhanging trees, branches and other foliage.
   2. Remove vines from house walls.
   3. Pick up debris in your yard. Anything flammable should be removed like pine needles, pine cones and more.
2. Remove leaves, pine needles and other debris from your gutters.
3. Cover vents and openings with wire mesh to prevent embers from entering the home.
4. Install ember and fire-resistant soffit vents.
5. Treat wooden fencing with fire retardant or consider replacing with metal fencing.
6. Replace mulch landscaping with rock.
7. Talk to your local fire department about wildfire prep advice they may have for your specific area.
8. Create a home inventory. A home inventory can expedite insurance claims process after theft, damage or loss. The easiest way to do a home inventory is using technology to create a digital copy:
   1. Take pictures. Capture important individual items as well as entire rooms, closets or drawers. Label your photos with what's pictured, where you bought it, the make or model and the serial number. Don’t forget the garage and even your possessions outside.
   2. Take video. Walk through your house or apartment recording and describing the contents. For example, you might describe the contents of a kitchen cabinet: "Poppies on Blue by Lenox, service for 12 that includes a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, cup and saucer, purchased in 2015."
   3. Use an app. There are many mobile app options that can help you create and store a room-by-room record of your belongings.
9. Talk to your State Farm agent. We recommend meeting with your agent at least annually to help you make sure you have adequate coverage for your individual needs.

While you can’t always prevent wildfires, these tips can help assess your risk and identify ways to help protect your home and property from a wildfire.

Since 2020, State Farm® has worked with Whisker Labs and invested in bringing this innovative home safety offering to customers to help identify potential hazards that could lead to electrical fires in the home. With a predictive tool like Ting, customers gain some control and can help protect what matters most to them – their loved ones and their homes.

How does Ting work?

Download the app, plug in the Ting and connect via Bluetooth. Now Ting is ready to monitor your home’s electricity. The primary root causes of electrical fires – micro-arcs and sparks – happen in faulty wires and appliances, devices or loose connections and usually develop over weeks and months. Ting is designed to provide advanced warnings to help address these hazards prior to an electrical fire starting.

Free offer from State Farm

State Farm is offering Ting and three years of service at no cost to eligible customers to help prevent fires before they occur. To be eligible, you must have an active State Farm non-tenant homeowners policy, a smartphone and home Wi-Fi. Learn more at statefarm.com® (This offer is currently not available in AK, DE, NC, SD and WY).

In addition to the sensor and monitoring, if Ting identifies a fire hazard that requires professional repair, Whisker Labs provides up to $1,000 toward the labor repair costs to mitigate the electrical fire hazard. This makes it that much easier to act and help protect your family and property from electrical fire hazards.

“Ting has furthered a proactive approach to insurance,” says Chris Schell, SVP of Property and Casualty at State Farm. “It helps us meet customers where they are – in their homes – to help them protect their families and property. It also shows how committed State Farm is to innovation and evolution so we can explore new ways of providing the products and services customers want and need.”

Electrical hazards

Ting monitors the entire home for hazardous electrical arcing – including bad wiring, damaged appliances or devices, and faulty light fixtures. It also monitors for dangerous power originating from the homeowner’s electric utility service, as this can cause a fire in the home and other safety hazards. Ting alerts users of these fire risks along with important events through a smartphone app.

“Ting has identified and mitigated fire hazards in nearly 7,000 U.S. homes to date,” says Bob Marshal, CEO of Whisker Labs. “Like State Farm, we’re passionate about keeping families safe. Many times every day, Ting Fire Safety Team experts alert a homeowner to a hidden fire hazard, many of which stem from defective devices and appliances, in addition to home wiring and outlets. Preventing fires is simply better for everyone.”

So, as you look around your house and turn on the lights, plug in your laptop, make your coffee and use electricity in any number of ways, you could also have Ting to help monitor for potential electrical fires. 

Together, State Farm and Whisker Labs are helping more customers in more ways than ever before.

Go to statefarm.com for more information about enrolling in Ting or talk to a State Farm agent today. 

About Whisker Labs

At Whisker Labs, we help protect families, property, homes, and communities by preventing fires and providing incredible visibility into the health of the electric utility grid. Our breakthrough technology, Ting, delivers intelligent detection, localization, and mitigation of potential fire hazards before they can start a fire from a single DIY plug-in sensor. While on the job looking for home electrical fire hazards from faulty wiring, devices, or appliances, Ting also monitors the quality of power delivered to homes by the electric utility. Poor power quality can induce fires, damage appliances, and create electrocution risks inside a home. And across the broader community, the network of Ting sensors also provides expert grid monitoring in real-time, helping grid operators identify and locate incipient faults, which, left unaddressed, can escalate and serve as an ignition source for devastating wildfires in prone communities.

In commemoration of its 100th anniversary, State Farm® is dedicating $2 million dollars to create safer, stronger more resilient communities.

The grants, known as the Century of Good, will support projects focused on a range of community-specific environmental priorities. These include improving air quality and energy efficiency, addressing climate change, improving recycling rates and conserving green spaces.

Building stronger neighborhoods together

Up to $500,000 in funding will be provided to community-based organizations within Bloomington, Illinois, Normal, Illinois, Atlanta, Georgia, Tempe, Arizona and Dallas, Texas.

Cultivating a healthy, sustainable environment

The grantees include:

City of Bloomington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department (Bloomington, IL) is working to provide current and future generations a sense of community, preserved green spaces, and diverse programs. Century of Good grant funding will be leveraged for revitalization projects at O’Neil Park, including native planting.

Town of Normal Parks & Recreation Department (Normal, IL) provides citizens and visitors with a clean, safe, environmentally pleasant community. Century of Good grant funding will be used to support revitalization projects at Carden Park and the Constitution Trail.

The Ecology Action Center (EAC) (Normal, IL) serves as a central resource for environmental education, outreach and assistance. To improve air quality, reduce carbon sequestration and provide watershed protection, the EAC launched a tree planting program in 2021. Its goal is to plant 100,000 new trees in McLean County over the next 10 years.

Live Thrive (Atlanta, GA) diverts household hazardous waste from landfills and water systems by providing a permanent drop-off facility for hard to recycle items. The organization is expanding, with plans to open a new location.

Trust for Public Land (Dallas, TX) helps communities raise money, conduct research, protect land and design/renovate parks, playgrounds, trails and gardens. It’s working to expand park and trail access to impacted neighborhoods while improving health, education and equitable development in Southern Dallas.

The Office of Sustainability (Tempe, AZ) is mitigating the negative effects of extreme heat. Collaborating with local school districts, first responders and businesses, Tempe is planning to address storm water retention, plant native trees and outfit public buildings with renewable energy.

To learn more about the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, visit esg.statefarm.com.

That’s exactly what Christopher Schafer provides to men every Wednesday.

Christopher makes custom suits for a living in Baltimore. His passion for clothing, and the need to find an organization to donate unwanted suits, pushed him to create Sharp Dressed Man.

“I was bringing new suits to a client who had a couple bags of old clothes he didn’t want to wear because he told me I spoiled him with new custom suits. It was quite a compliment, but it came with trying to find a home for these clothes,” Christopher says.

Christopher discovered many organizations provided everything for men who were in need of a job – resume building, practice interviews and setting interview appointments – but they didn’t have the clothing to make the right first impression, so he created his own nonprofit.

“At Sharp Dressed Man, we focus on the finishing touch. Other organizations are bringing us guys going through a transformation, and we’re there to send them out the door to their interviews,” he says.

Sharp Dressed Man has suited more than 8,000 men, and is on track to dress 2,000 men this year. The men come to Sharp Dressed Man with a referral from a partnering organization. Every Wednesday at noon, Christopher sees a line of men stretching down the street. And all of them are waiting for a suit.

“We bring the guys back one at a time, working one-on-one with a stylist who measures them, sizes them and finds options. I want them to try the suits on for fit.

“If the clothes fit, we’ll give them all kinds of stuff, but they have to have clothes they want to wear and feel confident in.”

Sharp Dressed Man received a $25,000 State Farm Neighborhood Assist^® Grant in 2018 to help impact more lives in their community. Part of the State Farm Neighborhood of Good^® initiative, State Farm Neighborhood Assist is back for its eighth year in 2019. The program awards $25,000 grants to 40 nonprofit organizations to help fund neighborhood education, safety and community development projects.

The grant helped keep Sharp Dressed Man open.

“The grant covered our overhead costs – paying the rent and electric bill – and we got a new spot. It’s really hard to focus on trying to help people when you’re worried about paying the bills,” Christopher says. “Now, we can work on planning for the future.”

With more submissions and more grants, State Farm Neighborhood Assist^® is going bigger on building stronger neighborhoods together in 2022. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of State Farm^®, we’re awarding 100 $25,000 grants (vs. 40 grants in previous years) to causes making a difference in their communities. We are also doubling the number of submissions to 4,000. Submissions open on Feb. 16 at 1pm ET!

This year, the program will award 100 $25,000 grants (vs. 40 grants in previous years) to nonprofit organizations to help fund neighborhood improvement projects. Additionally, we’re doubling the number of cause submissions to 4,000.

“State Farm Neighborhood Assist truly embodies the spirit of what our company has been about for 100 years-being a good neighbor,” said Rasheed Merritt, assistant vice president at State Farm. “We are excited about expanding the program in 2022 to help even more neighborhoods.”

Here’s how the program works:

Submission Phase: Starts February 16 and ends when 4,000 submissions are reached

Individuals can submit a cause at www.neighborhoodassist.com starting February 16 at 1pm ET. You can prepare now by going to the website and downloading the submission guide. We will accept the first 4,000 submissions. The State Farm Review Committee will then narrow the field to the Top 200 finalists using a scoring rubric.

Voting Phase: April 27-May 6

Ultimately, voters will decide which community improvement projects win big. The public will have a chance to vote 10 times a day, every day for 10 days, from April 27-May 6, for their favorite causes from the list of finalists. Voting will take place at www.neighborhoodassist.com.

Winners Announced: June 7

The 100 causes that receive the most votes will each win a $25,000 grant. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 7, at www.neighborhoodassist.com

Last year, 125,000 people cast more than 3 million votes in support of their favorite causes, selecting winners from small towns and big cities.

Since the program began in 2012, more than 380 causes have received a total of $10 million to enact change in their communities.

Are you sitting down?

If that’s how a conversation starts, it doesn’t usually end well. But in Shauntona Wagner’s case, it ended with four pounds, eight ounces of tenacity named Benjamin.

Shauntona, a Texas-based State Farm employee, was working from home in mid-October when she got a call from her son-in-law’s mother with some shocking news.

Her oldest daughter and son-in-law were arrested. Her daughter was transferred from jail to a hospital where she had, and then left, a baby.

No one knew the couple was expecting. The couple both suffer from drug addiction and Shauntona hadn’t heard from them in years.

Shauntona’s 6-year-old, autistic, non-verbal grandson was being raised by the other grandma, who had recently lost her husband. She told Shauntona she could not take on another child.

“I knew right then and there we had to take the baby. But we thought about it for a couple of days as a family then reached out to the social worker,” Shauntona said. “Born premature, and drug exposed, he experienced withdrawals, which are especially painful for newborns."

“The very first day we spent with Benjamin he improved drastically. He got back to birth weight and never needed oxygen,” Shauntona continued. “We were expecting him to stay another week in the hospital after we started spending time with him, but he was released two days later.”

The Wagners brought their new grandbaby home just before Halloween; after two weeks in the NICU. Their youngest child was 18 so they no longer had any of the necessary baby items. They quickly bought diapers, a few onesies and a pack ‘n’ play.

Thankfully their State Farm family came to the rescue. From coast to coast, colleagues past and present were busy online shopping for the rest of the baby essentials.

“It was a complete surprise! Not just current teammates, but people I hadn’t worked with in years gave gifts,” Shauntona shared. “We were so touched by their kindness, we took four Giving Tree wish lists to keep paying it forward.”

Shauntona is also eternally grateful for Benjamin’s Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and the Warren Center, which serves children and families impacted by developmental delays and disabilities. The Wagners hope to adopt Ben legally when he turns 1. Until then, he has a volunteer CASA advocating for his needs, the specialists at the Warren Center and his grandparents.

State Farm employees are among the nearly 100,000 CASA volunteers in the U.S. One is Patti McKendry, also of the Dallas area.

“We meet with the child, the schools and hospitals, and provide guidance to the courts and judges on the best plan for the child,” Patti said. “Given what we learn and experience, it can be quite emotional at times but it is so rewarding to be that one person who is solely concerned and focused on that child.”

Patti says the training is around 30 hours, but it’s a manageable commitment. She has shared her CASA story with others inside and outside of State Farm and looks to inspire others to become CASAs. Patti and Shauntona hope others will be motivated so more children can benefit from CASA services.

“We've settled into our sleepless, yet beautiful routine with our little guy,” Shauntona shared. “And he’s thriving! He's grown from 4.5 pounds to 7 pounds in three weeks.”

Sometimes, it really does take a village.

State Farm is proud to have been a part of a custom segment on NBC’s TODAY in honor of National Women’s Small Business month.

On the show, the compelling story of Joanne Canady-Brown, owner of The Gingered Peach in Trenton, NJ, was shared. While her business is thriving, Joanne also takes the time to give back and embrace her community and local non-profit organizations.

That morning, Joanne was surprised with a visit from TODAY’s Donna Farizan, as well as State Farm Agent Teanice Wells Ernest and representatives from two non-profits Joanne supports on a regular basis, “Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK)” and “I Am Trenton.”

As a part of the surprise, Teanice presented two $25,000 checks that were given as gifts to TASK and I Am Trenton in Joanne’s honor.

View the segment, here: Watch 1 community surprise a small-business owner (today.com)

We show kindness in many ways on a daily basis and every Act of Good makes a difference in someone’s life.

Remember to record your Acts of Good here: 100 for Good and don’t forget to support small businesses in your community.

State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a crowd-sourced philanthropic program. It empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods. Non-profits affiliated with each of the top 40 causes receive grants to address them.

“State Farm recognizes the good neighbor spirit in the organizations that will be implementing these community improvement projects,” said Rasheed Merritt, Assistant Vice President at State Farm. “We are proud to support their efforts.”

Two thousand cause submissions were accepted in June at www.neighborhoodassist.com. The State Farm Review Committee selected the top 200 finalists and public voting determined the 40 grant winners. In the 10 years of the program, more than 380 causes have received a total of $10 million to enact change in their communities.

For a complete list of this year’s winning causes, please visit: www.neighborhoodassist.com.

Corey is a volunteer Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the famous non-profit organization that helps chronically and critically ill children live out their dreams.

“Hope is contagious,” says Corey, a truly amazing Good Neighbor and State Farm director. “By giving these kids something to look forward to, we’re helping take their minds off of their illness, even if it’s only for a little while.”

State Farm and 1871, a Chicago-based non-profit that supports entrepreneurs, teamed up to sponsor and organize the “Hackathon for Good.” The event benefited the technical needs of True Star Foundation, a Chicagoland youth non-profit. 

“The Hackathon for Good gave us a glimpse into the future. It provided technology solutions that allow the organization to operate at a higher level, engage youth in ways that excite and inspire them, and allow us to reach more young people in a cost effective way,” said True Star Foundation Co-Founder DeAnna Sherman.

True Star's weekly after-school, in-school and summer programming teaches students about a variety of disciplines in the media industry. Students not only learn about the profession, they actually work cooperatively to produce professional-quality work in each area.

The hackathon teams provided True Star with several technical solutions. These included digitizing its curriculum, helping its students create digital portfolios, and providing the organization with a blueprint for a mobile app that will extend their reach and mission.

It’s all part of a commitment to build a better future for our communities through innovation.

“State Farm believes in supporting our communities, in being a Good Neighbor. We were excited to be part of the Hackathon for Good with 1871 and to support True Star Foundation,” said Fawad Ahmad, State Farm Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer. “It was a great opportunity to observe innovative ideas that will ultimately benefit the students True Star serves.”

“At 1871, we support innovators that are building a better tomorrow for their communities,” said 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler. “Organizations like the True Star Foundation are doing the necessary, on-the-ground work to empower youth in Chicago to lead. We were proud to join our longtime and dedicated partner State Farm to create technical solutions for this important non-profit.”

That’s why we started 100 for Good^®.

Giving back, doing good and being there when it counts are all a part of our State Farm culture. It’s who we are, and it’s who you are, too. 100 for Good brings us all together so we can see all the amazing Acts of Good our fellow Good Neighbors are doing across the country.

Big or small, every Act of Good makes a difference. Donating old clothes, paying for a stranger’s coffee, or big acts like volunteering with your local non-profit.

Join the community of Good Neighbors. Download the 100 for Good app today (available on IOS and Android App stores), start tracking your Acts of Good, and share your story using #100forGood. Together, we can do so much good, and inspire others to join the movement of making this world a better place, one Act of Good at a time.

Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit based in San Antonio, received a grant in both 2019 and 2020.

“Our mission is to provide aid, comfort and resources to our service members, wounded heroes and veterans of all generations,” said Soldiers’ Angels President Amy Palmer.

San Antonio is home to 153,000 veterans -- the most densely populated veteran community in Texas, with more than 7 percent earning income that is below the national poverty level. The low-income veterans served by Soldiers’ Angels have tremendous needs – food, transportation, physical hygiene, housing, to name a few. Through its programs, Soldiers’ Angels honors these veterans by providing for these critical needs so they can maintain a stable and self-sufficient standard of living.

“We do large, once-a-month food distributions, where we distribute about 25,000 pounds of food to veterans,” Amy said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the requests for services has increased almost 60%. Thanks to help from the Neighborhood Assist grant, Soldiers’ Angels was able to keep providing these services, helping more than 2,700 veterans and their families.

Many are financially strained, emotionally drained, and facing significant barriers to employment. These barriers are particularly acute among young people of color and women.

These are the findings of a recent America’s Promise Alliance survey. The nationally representative survey of 3,530 people age 16-24 found:

• Nearly half (40.0%) of young people reported experiencing a sense of financial strain. They report high levels of difficulty surviving financially, paying their bills, and affording basic healthcare costs.
• More than two-thirds (67.8%) indicated that COVID-19 and the related economic recession have had some effect or a large effect on their work life (e.g., getting the job that they desire or achieving their career goals).
• 70.1% report experiencing an elevated state of stress "about half the time" or more. More than one in three young people (34.5%) reported feeling this way "most of the time" or "always."
• Among youth who are unemployed or marginally attached to the labor market, three in four (76%) reported that COVID-19 has made their job search more difficult. Nearly one in three (31%) reported having stopped their job search due to COVID-19.

The survey findings are outlined in The State of Youth Employment: Navigating the World of Work during COVID-19 report. It provides insight into young people’s experiences navigating the labor market and their overall wellbeing. A State Farm® grant supported the research.

“Employers of all types and sizes can play a role in prioritizing opportunities for young people. Those that pay fair wages and cultivate belonging provide not just a job, but a foothold to a meaningful career,” said State Farm AVP of Diversity and Inclusion Rasheed Merritt. “Working with young people and youth-serving organizations, we can create a more hopeful and prosperous future for this generation and those to come.”

To help address the impact of tree loss on communities across the country, State Farm® and the Arbor Day Foundation are announcing a new collaboration to replant trees and help build more resilience in disaster-impacted areas.

State Farm is committing $1 million to the Arbor Day Foundation in support of tree planting and reforestation projects throughout the remainder of 2021.

“Trees play a vital role in the stability of our communities and their resilience against disaster,” said State Farm Vice President of Administrative Services Jenny Greminger, who oversees the company’s environmental sustainability team. “Replanting in a strategic way will help impacted areas recover and potentially better withstand severe weather in the future.”

In consultation with the Arbor Day Foundation, key areas impacted by natural disasters have been identified in fifteen states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Utah). These areas, including several national forests, will host reforestation, tree planting, and tree giveaway events starting this spring and running through the fall.

Specific events will be announced as they are confirmed. Events will address local challenges including losses from wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as urban heat islands and emerald ash borer infestation.

This new collaboration follows the recent announcement from State Farm of a commitment to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the end of 2030, and the release of the company’s first-ever Environmental, Social, and Governance report. These efforts are the first announced by State Farm as part of its “Good Neighbors. Better World.” initiative, in which the company is emphasizing social and environmental responsibility as essential aspects of doing business.
 

Did You Know? Quick facts on trees from the Arbor Day Foundation

Click the images below to learn more about some of the many benefits of trees for health, the economy, and everyday life.

Neighbors across the country will soon have an exciting opportunity to help change their communities for the better through State Farm Neighborhood Assist^®. The program awards $25,000 grants to 40 nonprofit organizations to help fund neighborhood improvement projects.

According to a recent State Farm research study, one-quarter of respondents say they are “extremely” or “very” involved in trying to improve their neighborhood and six-in-10 are trying to improve their neighborhood in some capacity.

State Farm Neighborhood Assist can be a catalyst for that change.

Here’s how the program works:

Submission Phase: Starts June 2 and ends when 2,000 submissions are reached

Individuals can submit a cause at www.neighborhoodassist.com starting June 2. You can prepare now by going to the website and downloading the submission guide. We will accept the first 2,000 submissions. The State Farm Review Committee will then narrow the field to the Top 200 finalists using a scoring rubric.

Voting Phase: August 18-27

Ultimately, voters will decide which community improvement projects win big. The public will have a chance to vote 10 times a day, every day for 10 days, from Aug. 18-27, for their favorite causes from the list of finalists. Voting will take place at www.neighborhoodassist.com.

Winners Announced: September 29

The 40 causes that receive the most votes will each win a $25,000 grant. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at www.neighborhoodassist.com.

“State Farm is pleased to bring back Neighborhood Assist for its tenth year,” said Rasheed Merritt, assistant vice president at State Farm. “This program is all about building stronger neighborhoods together.”

Last year, 145,000 people cast 3.9 million votes in support of their favorite causes, selecting winners from small towns and big cities.

Since the program began, more than 340 causes have received a total of $9 million to enact change in their communities.

Those actions are shared in our first-ever annual report detailing our progress in environmental, social, and governance areas. One example is how in 2020, our national and local philanthropic giving totaled nearly $57 million—with more than $16 million supporting pandemic relief. State Farm invested an additional $10 million in minority and women small business owners in the Company’s home state of Illinois.

And—because cleaner air helps make a better world—State Farm is committing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by the end of 2030.

We have renewable or carbon-free power purchase agreements for several of our main employee campuses and we’re actively exploring sustainable solutions for fleet vehicles, energy efficiency capital projects, green natural gas – plus how to engage employees individually toward this target.

This step is just the first in our continuing efforts to being good stewards of the neighborhoods we serve.

Download the 2020 ESG Highlights infographic

This ESG report, the first of its kind in the Company’s history, summarizes 2020 State Farm work in the areas of environmental sustainability, social impact, and responsible governance of company operations.

“For nearly one hundred years, State Farm has functioned on the belief that being a good neighbor means being good stewards of the neighborhoods we serve,” said State Farm Chairman, President & CEO Michael Tipsord. “We want to help make a better world by building resilient futures, empowering good neighbors, and protecting what matters.”

Highlights of the new report include:

• Increased energy efficiency: More than 80% of State Farm facilities have an Energy Star Score of 75 or higher.
• $100 million committed in support for minority communities for issues of racial equity and justice over the next 5 years.
• 98,000 hours of employee & agent volunteering, which generated $647,500 in related grant funding
• Evolving workforce demographics: women comprise 57% of employees and 37% of executive roles. Minorities hold 24% of executive roles.

To accompany this report on 2020 activity, State Farm is also announcing a new environmental commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by the end of 2030.

State Farm is the largest auto and homeowner insurance provider in the U.S., with more than 85 million policies and accounts.

Download the 2020 ESG Highlights infographic

But, for another Jake – the doggie-version – it’s not been all smiles.

In less than three months Jake from State Farm, the dog, has ended up at the Burlington Animal Shelter in North Carolina three times.

As a senior dog and a less-than-popular bull dog breed, things were not looking good for this good boy. Shelter volunteers were worried he might not ever get his “furever home.”

But like a good neighbor, State Farm was there.

State Farm agent Nicole Cockerham had volunteered at the shelter in the past and didn’t hesitate to help out again, literally giving Jake the State Farm shirt off her back. As an agent authorized to sell pet medical insurance, Nicole has a passion for helping people and their pets.

Now wearing his State Farm swag, Jake took some new pics for social media and promptly went viral, starting with a story in the Charlotte Observer chronicling all of Jake’s bad luck. Jake even got a tweet from the official @JakeStateFarm Twitter account and within hours - he was adopted.

It doesn’t end there. The Burlington Animal Shelter received calls and emails from State Farm agents all across the country wanting to help. Many donated money to help pay for services that Jake needed, such as micro-chipping and covering adoption fees. Jake even got his story in People Magazine.

State Farm didn’t only help Jake, but other pets waiting for adoption, too. On March 23, Nicole and fellow State Farm agent Angela Swanger presented a check for $1,500 to the Burlington Animal Shelter. The donation will be used to cover expenses for pets in need of medical care and treatment. They also presented Jake and his new owner with a State Farm blanket and other comfort items.

And for all of those pets that will be adopted in the future? Their new owners will all receive a State Farm “responsible pet adoption kit” that includes a collar, leash, portable water dish, pet waste bags with dispenser, and dog bite prevention activity books for kids.

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story?

He wanted to survive Covid-19, too.

A chance encounter

Hank lives in in Corbin, Ky., a small town of about 8,000 people. He was born and raised in Corbin and after he joined the military, he settled in Connecticut where he and his wife raised their family. After she passed away, he decided to return home.

“I got tired of talking to the wall, so eventually I came back,” joked Hank.

In 2016, Hank got a new neighbor. Mayur Ramesh Shah moved to Corbin from Philadelphia to be closer to his work and two sons. The 45-year-old University of the Cumberlands professor, small business and health economics consultant, dad, lifelong volunteer, immigrant who speaks four languages, didn’t know anybody in town until he moved next to Hank.

“I was getting my mail one day, and I saw that I got Hank’s on accident,” Mayur said. He’d never met his new neighbor and when he went to return the misplaced mail, a bill from the local internet provider, the two got to talking.

“He told me how much he was paying for his internet access and I was like, ‘That sounds like way too much,’ so we took a look at it,” Mayur said. With a few quick calls, Mayur helped Hank cut his bill almost in half and a friendship was born.

Now on paper, they make a pretty unlikely pair.

“Pretty much everything about us is different,” said Mayur. Everything except, as Hank pointed out, a few key facts.

“We’re human beings, we’re neighbors and we’re friends,” Hank said. “That still counts for something.”

Coming together

Like the rest of us, Mayur and Hank’s world changed last year when Covid hit.

“I didn’t get out too much before, and now it was even harder,” Hank said.

When Hank heard from the VA hospital he was eligible for the vaccine, he initially felt conflicted; Lexington was the nearest site, and it’s 100 miles away.

“I’m not as mobile as I used to be,” he said. “I’m blind in one eye and don’t see so well in the other, so I figured I wouldn’t go.”

Mayur had other ideas. “I told him if he wanted to go, I’d drive him whenever he wanted.”

So, that’s what they did

Over the following few weeks, Mayur and Hank drove to Lexington twice, and Hank received both of his doses of the Covid-19 vaccines.

After returning from that first visit, Mayur found the 100 for Good™ app, a program developed by State Farm^® that encourages people to log their good deeds to inspire others to do the same and see the collective impact we all make across the country.

Mayur, a State Farm customer, was actually looking up information on Drive Safe and Save™ when he came across the 100 for Good app.

“I thought it sounded kind of cool, so I figured I’d download it and see what it was all about,” Mayur said. After downloading the app, he logged in the trip he and Hank had just taken and promptly forgot all about it.

“This was quite the first logged Act of Good by Mayur and exactly what we were hoping to see when we introduced 100 for Good app to the public…we were so proud,” said State Farm Senior Vice President Annette Martinez. “It is a great example of what being a good neighbor is all about, demonstrating human kindness in big and small ways.”

Mayur is going to keep logging his Acts of Good in the app as he has donated his time and talents a great deal over the years. “I got this instilled in me from my parents; they taught me to always pay it forward.”

Hank and Mayur encourage others to check out the 100 for Good program to be inspired by others’ acts and to see there are good neighbors all around.

After 11 years of hope and heartache and three miscarried babies, Stacie Wylie cried tears of joy when she saw her son’s heartbeat on the ultrasound monitor. But 14 weeks into her pregnancy, a nurse called her in tears. “I immediately thought the worst, ‘He’s stillborn,’” said Stacie.

Her fears of worse news turned to relief when she heard the nurse say, “I’m so sorry to tell you, but there is a strong likelihood your son has Down syndrome.” Stacie thought, “He’s breathing?! He’s alive! Down syndrome? Okay, we’ll figure that out.”

“From that call on, I immediately began researching Down syndrome and contacted local organizations that provided educational resources and support,” said Stacie, a Corporate Responsibility analyst. “I have met the most amazing tribe of parents and the most loving, non-judgmental children and adults you could ever imagine.”

Once a stranger to stimming, sensory meltdowns and hypertonia, Stacie quickly jumped into a world with speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, ENTs, cardiologists and orthotic specialists. Once someone who might roll her eyes if a child had a “temper tantrum” at the grocery store, she became someone to give a compassionate eye to a mom and wonder if the child was overwhelmed by the lights and sounds in the store.

New Perspectives at Work

These new perspectives and learnings found their way into Stacie’s role at State Farm^®. In her six years in leadership, she has coached and mentored a variety of associates, working with individuals with dyslexia, Turrets syndrome, anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism.

“Each of these individuals struggled in their own way to acclimate to State Farm’s culture and/or work expectations. Outside of my parenting experience, I realized I had no formal training to help individuals with cognitive differences succeed in the workplace, so I started looking for resources,” she said.

She decided to do formal training by first completing her Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC) designation. She completed an introductory course about disabilities and learned techniques to help families prepare for financial security.

“This was by far my favorite designation and further piqued my interest in working with the special needs community.”

She also joined the Advocacy for Disabilities and Education (ADE) Employee Resource Group. ADE provides informational classes and organizes events to raise awareness about different disabilities.

But she still wanted to learn more. In 2017, State Farm started the Community College Tuition Program that offers an array of certificates and associate’s degrees with no out-of-pocket cost to State Farm employees. Stacie learned about a Developmental Disabilities Specialist Certificate program offered at Glendale Community College.

“This certificate wasn’t on the approved degrees list, but I knew it would help me grow in my career and personal life, so I submitted a business case, and it was approved. After completing the course, I brought my learnings to the workplace. For example, when working with individuals on the Autism spectrum, I am more mindful not to change our one-on-one schedules, and I use very literal language to avoid confusion.”

Pursuing education while working full time and raising her son was not easy, but it was worth it.

“The sacrifice of time and sleep has made me a better and more informed parent, community member and leader. I am so grateful to work for a company like State Farm that invests in its employees and helps people of all abilities find meaningful employment.”

Shortly after their arrival, her husband unexpectedly died. The couple had no life insurance and very little in savings. Samantha began looking for work, but the pandemic had shut down many of her options.

Desperate to take care of her family, Samantha rung up more and more debt. With her cards maxed out and depleted saving, she and her two kids were evicted from their home. Without family or friends to help support them, Samantha was facing a reality that never even occurred to her just a few short months ago. She and her three children were homeless.

Kimberly's Instagram post raising awareness for homelessness.

Stories like Samantha’s were shared with participants of the annual Night in a Car event, a community outreach program in Bloomington, Ill., where volunteers slept in their cars to raise money for a local homeless shelter. The event is also designed to dispel some of the many misconceptions about homelessness in America.

Participants gather in a parking lot in the dead of winter and spend the night in their cars to experience firsthand the inhumane and often brutal conditions many Americans face.

 “It could never happen to me.”

“This is one of the things a lot of people think about homelessness,” said Kimberly Kernosky, a State Farm® employee and three-time Night in the Car participant. “They have no idea how wrong they are.”

A staggering 63% of all Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Six out of 10 of us are one unexpected event away from financial disaster. And if there’s anything we’ve learned from dealing with the pandemic, it’s that the “unexpected” is becoming the norm.

“The reality is that you never know what’s going to happen. Nobody plans on being homeless, and nobody should think that they’re immune, because they’re not,” said Kimberly.

This year, Kimberly was joined in the car by Kim Brockman and Rachael Lund, two other State Farm employees. Like Kimberly, Kim and Rachael also found some of what they thought they knew about homelessness was incorrect.

“Homelessness is only a problem in big cities”

Kimberly's Instagram post detailing an experience while participating in the Night in a Car event.

The reality couldn’t be further from the truth; 54% of all homeless people live in small towns, a description that certainly fits Bloomington, a smaller community of about 75,000 in central Illinois. This is where Kim, Kimberly and Rachael sat huddled in their car while the temperatures dipped below zero.

“We kept thinking how right now, there were people out in our town that were having to do what we’re doing, how this wasn’t just one night for them. Maybe they didn’t even have a car for shelter,” said Kim.

According to recent studies, 37% of all homeless people live outside or under conditions deemed unfit for human habitation.

“Right now, there are families in our community that are sleeping in their cars,” said Kim. “For us, this is one night. For them, it’s their life.”

Understanding leads to compassion

 “I knew about homelessness on a conceptual level, but when you literally walk in someone else’s shoes and feel what they feel – that is true empathy building,” said Rachael.

“This was my first year participating, and it’s an experience that I’ll never forget. Not only does it make me appreciate the comforts in my life, but it fuels my drive to give to organizations who provide services to the homeless community.”

 “I know that this is completely different,” said Kim. “I know that in a couple of hours, this will all be over and I can go home, but by getting even a little look into this world, I’m motivated to do even more to help.”

2020 has been a record high for adoptions. It’s also been a record low for surrendered and abandoned dogs. All in all, a bang up year for man’s best friend.

Demand was so high for dog and cat companionship, many shelters at one point had waiting lists! But it wasn't alwasy so.

To Me, You Are Perfect

A white and tan pit bull, Dash was one of the longest residents of the Maricopa County Shelter in Arizona. Older pit bulls are often shelter veterans, as many adopters are looking for small dogs and puppies.

Molly Romine, a State Farm® HR employee and shelter volunteer, knew Dash would be a great addition to someone’s home. Molly and other volunteers organized the 12 Dogs of Christmas adoption push which included Dash in Dec. 2018.

The shelter’s 12 longest-term residents were all pit bulls ranging in age from two to 10. The team spruced up their kennels with eye-catching decor, gave the pups holiday make-overs, and shared social media posts to gain attention. The shelter also offered stockings full of donated leashes, collars, and free training sessions.

“I worked a couple of hours a night to get these dogs a home for the holidays,” shared Molly. “It was a lot of hard work but it was worth it to see Dash and all the other dogs adopted just before New Year’s Eve!”

Helping local shelters during Covid

Volunteering has been difficult during Covid due to social distancing and other safety measures. But there are other ways to give back. Owner surrendered and abandoned pet numbers are starting to creep back up. There are plenty of pets available for adoption at your local shelter.

“If you’re not sure adoption is for you, consider fostering! It’s a short term commitment with long term impacts,” Molly recommended. “If you foster a pet, you are giving that animal a much needed respite from the stressful shelter environment. You can also provide the shelter with helpful intel. Maybe the dog is great with kids but scared of car rides. This can really help match the pup with the right family.”

Is your home feeling a bit empty due to covid? Reach out to your local shelter to see if you can fill it with dogs or cats for a long “howliday” weekend of fostering and cuddles.

Join the conversation on Yammer!

After this year, we can all use a silver lining. Odds are you, or someone you know, have adopted a new pet this year.

2020 has been a record high for adoptions. It’s also been a record low for surrendered and abandoned dogs. All in all, a bang up year for man’s best friend.

Demand was so high for dog and cat companionship, many shelters at one point had waiting lists! But it wasn't alwasy so.

To Me, You Are Perfect

A white and tan pit bull, Dash was one of the longest residents of the Maricopa County Shelter in Arizona. Older pit bulls are often shelter veterans, as many adopters are looking for small dogs and puppies.

Molly Romine, a State Farm® HR employee and shelter volunteer, knew Dash would be a great addition to someone’s home. Molly and other volunteers organized the 12 Dogs of Christmas adoption push which included Dash in Dec. 2018.

The shelter’s 12 longest-term residents were all pit bulls ranging in age from two to 10. The team spruced up their kennels with eye-catching decor, gave the pups holiday make-overs, and shared social media posts to gain attention. The shelter also offered stockings full of donated leashes, collars, and free training sessions.

“I worked a couple of hours a night to get these dogs a home for the holidays,” shared Molly. “It was a lot of hard work but it was worth it to see Dash and all the other dogs adopted just before New Year’s Eve!”

Helping local shelters during Covid

Volunteering has been difficult during Covid due to social distancing and other safety measures. But there are other ways to give back. Owner surrendered and abandoned pet numbers are starting to creep back up. There are plenty of pets available for adoption at your local shelter.

“If you’re not sure adoption is for you, consider fostering! It’s a short term commitment with long term impacts,” Molly recommended. “If you foster a pet, you are giving that animal a much needed respite from the stressful shelter environment. You can also provide the shelter with helpful intel. Maybe the dog is great with kids but scared of car rides. This can really help match the pup with the right family.”

Is your home feeling a bit empty due to covid? Reach out to your local shelter to see if you can fill it with dogs or cats for a long “howliday” weekend of fostering and cuddles.

Peacock, NBC's streaming service, is highlighting her support as part of its Black Voices library of content. In a video Janice shares her views on the importance of the museum and expresses the State Farm commitment to making a difference.

Earlier this year, State Farm empowered agents to address the greatest needs in their community through the Good Neighbor Community Fund.

To promote change State Farm is pledging $100 million over five years to support minority communities and issues of racial equity and justice. This is just one part of the insurer’s ongoing efforts to bring about change.

“State Farm has a long history and commitment to social justice,” said Victor Terry, Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Public Affairs at State Farm. “Today, we take our latest step in this important journey. Doing nothing is unacceptable. Powerful solutions must be brought to the table, and we need a lot of people at the table, too.”

The $100 million contribution will support a variety of community-focused projects, including small business support, funding for affordable housing programs, and educational advancement programs. Funds will be a combination of charitable contributions and community investments.

“This pledge is truly a continuation of our historical, nearly 100 year-support of organizations that help to meet the most pressing needs of the communities where we live and work,” said Terry.

That near 100-year history has included support for affordable housing and economic empowerment for underprivileged communities across the United States. One such organization is the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). During the 20-year relationship, State Farm has invested $149 million in LISC’s community development programs. Just this year, State Farm provided LISC  $10 million in COVID-19 small business funding for Illinois companies struggling in the wake of a global pandemic.

How did it play in Peoria?

This funding will boost under-invested communities and their residents. One example of its impact is Young’s Popcorn Heaven, a minority, female-owned, gourmet popcorn shop in Peoria, IL. Owners, JoAnn and Greg Young, opened their shop in 2015, and like many new, small businesses, they worked hard to achieve a positive cash flow.

The retired state employee and construction tradesman always dreamt of owning their own business. After saving for years, they finally opened Popcorn Heaven. Then, in 2019, they faced a 50% monthly lease increase and began exploring new locations for their business.

After finding a building and researching different financing options, the Young’s came across LISC. Using State Farm funds, LISC provided a $165,000 loan to purchase and renovate a new building.

“The loan helped me increase my production and sales. My new property is in a more trafficked area, it’s a lot bigger and better for social distancing,” shared Young. “But more importantly, it saved two full-time and five part-time jobs, and decreased our overall expenses. It’s also helping us get through the pandemic, when lots of businesses are closing their doors permanently.”

Equity gaps exacerbated during COVID-19

• The pandemic created a lot of difficulty for small businesses; 15% have closed their doors permanently. Minority-owned businesses were hit worse: more than 26% of Black- and 19% of Latino-owned businesses have closed.¹
• Many American workers lost their jobs or had wages cut significantly as well. Hispanic adults were hit the hardest, 61% of Hispanic adults stating they or someone in their household either lost their job or received less wages – compared to 44% of African Americans and 38% of Whites.^.2

“State Farm helps people realize their dreams. But when some people don’t have the resources to get on a path toward accomplishing their goals – be it an education, an affordable home, or a chance to start the business of their dreams – we strive to be part of the solution,” said Terry.

Sources: ^1-Brookings Institute  ^2-Accion Opportunity Fund

Let’s explain.

Dave is a life-long resident of Pequannock Township, New Jersey.

“It’s the kind of small town where everybody knows everybody else,” Dave said. “People look out for each other here.”

Among the many friends he’s made over the years are Gayle and George Douglas and their five children.

“Gayle’s brother was my best friend growing up. I feel like I’ve been a part of that family my whole life,” he explained.

The youngest member of the Douglas family is Colby, a 21-year-old man with Down syndrome. Colby contracted COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital on April 2. He’d stay for the next 135 days. From the moment he was admitted, Colby’s situation was precarious. He spent the first 70 days on a ventilator. When he finally regained a bit of strength, doctors performed a tracheotomy. Then, slowly but surely, Colby started to heal.

Dave kept up with Colby’s situation, checking in on him and the family often. Dave had also recently been hospitalized with COVID.

“I was only in for three days and I was begging to come home,” Dave recalled. “I can’t imagine what he was going through in there.”

When Dave learned Colby was able to come home, he was overjoyed. He also got an idea.

“Him coming home after all this time was a big deal,” Dave said. “So I figured, ‘Why not try and do something special?'”

Everybody Loves a Parade

In addition to being a claims specialist, Dave’s also a member of the Town Council. When he found out Colby would be coming home on August 13, he made a few calls.

“One thing led to another and the next thing you know, we had quite a thing going,” Dave said.

The “thing” Dave got going was nothing less than a full-blown parade, complete with police car escorts, ambulances, limousines, and fire trucks flashing their lights. And, a crowd of close to 2,000 well-wishers lined the streets to welcome Colby home.

Local TV covered it, and Colby’s story went nation-wide via a TODAY Show interview.

“It was really a great day for the town and for Colby and his family,” Dave said.

That Dave orchestrated such a tremendous outpouring of generosity wasn’t surprising to those who know him.

“That’s pretty much the kind of guy he is,” said his manager, Roger Stites. “He’s always showing that Good Neighbor attitude in everything he does.”

Dave credits State Farm for supporting employees’ charitable efforts. And, he is particularly grateful for the way the company deals with employees impacted by COVID.

When he got out of the hospital, he was out of commission for about 15 days. He was then placed on paid administrative leave while he recuperated. A gesture Dave appreciated greatly.

“State Farm didn’t have to do that, but they did,” Dave said. “That’s the kind of place this is.”

The Kind of Place This Is

State Farm is “the kind of place” where helping others - being a Good Neighbor - is important. It’s recognized and rewarded.

“Here at State Farm we encourage our employees to carry the Good Neighbor Spirit out into their communities as part of our 100 for Good initiative. Dave and his work in the community, and with this parade, is a great example of how employees use that benefit to contribute and make a difference,” said Senior Vice President Annette Martinez. “We could not be prouder.”

Dave has recorded 100 Acts of Good. That earned him an extra paid day to volunteer. Not surprisingly, Dave used that extra day to volunteer at Colby’s parade.

State Farm agents throughout the state are providing nearly 54,000 vouchers for free milk, which can be redeemed at any Wisconsin Kwik Trip location through July 16. Together State Farm and Kwik Trip are pouring more than $120,000 into this dairy boost effort.

“Part of our mission at Kwik Trip is to make a difference in the lives of others. Teaming up with State Farm helps our communities and our local dairy farmers in a special way in these challenging times,” said John McHugh, Kwik Trip Director of Public Relations.

As food pantries have limited refrigeration, the availability of milk to families in need has been one of the many difficult challenges of COVID19. Supply chain disruptions have also impacted dairy prices at the stores.

Wisconsin-based State Farm Vice President of Agency Maggie Oleson said Wisconsin agents are proud to help the community in celebration of dairy month.

“June is dairy month, a special time in Wisconsin. It’s also a special month for State Farm as we celebrate our 98^th anniversary,” Oleson said. “Our agents wanted to do something impactful to celebrate, so we got together with Kwik Trip to help put milk on the tables of our friends, families and neighbors. And, given that both companies have over 300 storefronts in the state, the distribution of the vouchers across the state will have an expansive reach.”

Participating State Farm agents will distribute free milk vouchers this month throughout their local communities and at food pantries throughout the state. The vouchers can be redeemed for a free gallon of milk at any Wisconsin Kwik Trip location or Kwik Trip affiliate, through July 16. If you or someone you know is in need of milk please contact a Wisconsin-based State Farm agent to request a voucher. Vouchers will be provided on a first come first serve basis. To find an agent near you, visit: www.statefarm.com

To locate a Kwik Trip location near you: visit www.kwiktrip.com.

OK, we have to immediately dive into that first one. Opioids? Yes. Consider this:

• The risks associated with negligence, fraud, deceptive marketing and over-prescription are significant.
• The opioid crisis impacts people all around the world; however, most claims come from towns, districts or municipalities, rather than individuals.
• The Society of Actuaries estimates the total economic burden of the opioid crisis in the U.S. from 2015 to 2018 was $631 billion.

This was one of several topics State Farm® and other insurers discussed at a conference of the Geneva Association – the leading international think tank of the insurance industry, which pursues “Insurance for a Better World.”

State Farm, a member the past eight years, hosted the event in late 2019, gaining insight into how international policymakers think about various regulatory matters.

"There is both inherent competition and a wide range of differing points of view within the insurance industry from a global perspective,” said Kevin Frederick, Vice President – Counsel in the Law Department. “But there are also real societal and global issues that transcend all of us, and emerging forms of risk that impact all of us.”

“Perhaps the most important takeaway for me,” he said, “has been not only learning more about differing points of view within the international industry, but also how these differing points of view are interconnected with our shared values.”

Other interesting topics:

Artificial intelligence (AI)

• AI is a rapidly evolving area that crosses all forms of business in various ways.
• As AI continues to evolve, new and emerging risks follow, with complex considerations from a legal, ethical and cultural perspective.
• A new area of research and regulation centers on why machines make the decisions they do.

Ride sharing

• As ride-sharing continues to surge in popularity, there are fragmented approaches toward regulating risk and liability across cities, states and countries.
• The ride-sharing experience from an insurance, risk and liability perspective is complex. For example, consider when and how coverage applies before, during and after a driver and passenger engage in a ride-sharing experience.
• Insurance, risk and liability are based on historical loss patterns and predictive outcomes. The ride-sharing economy lacks historical data and is continually influenced by evolving forms of technology and AI.

As consumers increasingly look to corporations to lead and support socially conscious and community-friendly efforts, the shift to a corporate responsibility model will take the good work State Farm already does today and empower the organization to accomplish even greater things.

State Farm has appointed Annette Martinez, Senior Vice President, as the leader of this new department. Martinez has been deeply embedded in the philanthropic efforts of the company for many years and has long been a champion of diversity, launching the first office of diversity and inclusion for the company.

“We are excited to announce this new Corporate Responsibility Department to bring together community, employee engagement, diversity and philanthropic efforts,” says Martinez. “This is a big step forward as we continue working to model, inspire and empower Good Neighbor behavior through community involvement and positive impacts inside and outside State Farm.”

Join us in our efforts to make a difference in our communities by visiting the State Farm Neighborhood of Good®.

Kathy Schumacher, a State Farm^® employee in Charlottesville, Va., started the garage sale with then coworker Darlene Lyons. Darlene had a friend who was homebound and needed a lot of help, which she received through the local Meals on Wheels program. So, Darlene decided to raise money to benefit the organization.

They didn’t want to just fundraise, they wanted to provide an event.

The Fluvanna (County) Meals on Wheels Garage Sale was created as a way to not only fundraise, but to provide an opportunity for people to donate goods they no longer needed. Someone’s trash is another’s treasure, as they say.

“We collect donated items at our houses and then take them to where we are hosting the sale. We clean, restore, price, organize and sort everything,” Kathy said.

Kathy has used a week of her paid time off to organize and manage the garage sale every year, and every year she invites her State Farm colleagues to volunteer with her.

“Every year, the sale gets bigger and bigger so we can use all the hands we can get.”

Kathy said 24-28 State Farm colleagues volunteered in 2019 for the nine-hour day, helping to raise $17,750, plus a Good Neighbor Grant^® Team Program application provided another $500.

Sabrina Morris accepted Kathy’s invitation to volunteer for the first time.

“It was a really welcoming environment,” Sabrina said. “It was nice to be there with people you knew. You were volunteering, but it felt less like volunteering and more like doing something good with people you enjoy being around.”

“It is such a positive environment. Everyone is so happy and wants to reach the same goal,” Kathy added. “The team day did a lot because you were able to get to know somebody you see, but can’t talk to them, such as at the call center.”

And it all comes back to what the mission is – help seniors receive nourishment and interactions they may not get otherwise.

“It’s just something I believe in. No one should be alone and no one should go without food,” Kathy said.

“When you lose everything, it is natural to be so emotionally attached to the things that you have lost,” Keith says. “It’s a painful process to have to think about everything you lost.

“However, if you take the time to go room by room, opening cabinets and closets and taking pictures or getting it all on video, in a large catastrophe like this, it speeds up the process.”

Keith completed his own home inventory, as well as doing one for his mother. Many of 1,100 customers who filed claims, however, didn’t have one to refer to.

“It is a frustrating process when submitting a claim,” Keith says. “Think about getting asked about everything you own? How many pair of socks, shirts, shoes, pants.”

Santa Barbara, Calif., Agent Irene Henry helped a customer who had a total loss in the Jesusita Fire in 2009 update her home inventory with a smartphone.

“It’s important to update an inventory, or do one if you haven’t already, of the contents of your home” Irene says. “Whether taking pictures or video, or writing down an inventory list, you have that information. If you have a claim, an inventory will make it smoother and easier to process.”

Irene walked customer Mary Knapp through creating an inventory of the Knapp’s home on Mary’s smartphone, opening drawers and cabinets in the kitchen, closets in bedrooms and walking throughout the house recording every detail.

“It’s so important,” says Mary. “It triggers your mind because there is so much you could never be able to recall it later.”

Mary stored the inventory in her phone, and also has it on a backup hard drive. A home inventory can also be emailed to a customer’s agent.

“Recovering from the fires, it has been emotional. It still is,” Keith says. “But the claims were emotionally easier for customers who completed the inventory.”

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a reminder that there are many steps communities can take to be prepared for wildfire and an opportunity for residents to participate in wildfire safety activities. There is still time to prepare to take action with regard to wildfire safety and NFPA and State Farm encourage people to get involved by planning a project and participating on May 5. Print a free list of project ideas.

Recent wildfire events make the need for Preparedness Day more important than ever before. Last October, more than 40 people lost their lives in a rash of Northern California wildfires that burned more than 245,000 acres. In December, wildfires near Los Angeles forced more than 230,000 people to evacuate their homes. Several other states that experienced large fires in 2017, including Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Utah, have put the U.S. on pace to exceed the average acreage burned annually over the past 10 years.

"Since NFPA and State Farm first partnered together on Preparedness Day, the number of projects has grown tremendously. We are pleased to provide 150 communities with $500 each to fund their wildfire risk reduction activities on May 5," said Vickie Hodges, P&C underwriting analyst, State Farm. "For State Farm, the largest home insurer in the U.S., it is important to us to take a leadership role in helping homeowners stay safe and better protect their property."

For more information about national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day including resources, videos, and tip sheets, and to see the list of winning projects and their locations, please visit www.wildfireprepday.org.

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.

Forty causes will be awarded a $25,000 grant each to assist their communities. Residents of the United States can submit a cause at www.neighborhoodassist.com from June 7-June 21 or when 2,000 submissions are reached, whichever comes first. Ultimately, voters will decide which community improvement projects win big.

State Farm Neighborhood Assist asks individuals to identify causes that would help make their communities safer, stronger, and smarter.

The State Farm Review Committee will then narrow down the field, using a scoring rubric to identify the top 200 submissions.

The public will have a chance to vote up to 10 times a day, every day for 10 days from August 16-August 25 at www.neighborhoodassist.com for their favorite causes from the list of finalists.

The 40 causes that receive the most votes will each win a $25,000 grant. Winners will be announced on Good Neighbor Day, September 28.

Since the program began, State Farm has awarded $5 million to communities across North America, supporting a wide variety of causes, including:

• Fighting childhood hunger
• Helping homeless veterans
• Revitalizing parks
• Improving literacy
• Offering athletic programs for children with disabilities 

“State Farm has a rich history of giving back to the communities where we live and work, helping make life go right,” said Kellie Clapper, State Farm Assistant Vice President. “From identifying an important cause to rallying your community to vote for it, this program is all about neighbors helping neighbors.”

Last year, 72,000 Americans cast 1.8 Million votes for their favorite causes, selecting winners from small towns and big cities. Be part of the movement and submit your cause to improve your community starting June 7.

You might also be interested in:

• A Young Life Lost: A Legacy of Safety
• Things Are Looking Up
• Finding A New Path

Gabriel is one of many children setting sail on the Atlantic coast to fish, learn and explore. Not even the Florida sun can compete with the bright smiles on their faces.

"We want to help students reduce their fear and anxiety in respect to activities near the water,” said State Farm Agent Stan Harrison. “And we want them to have fun.”

The chance to sail out of the classroom and into the ocean is part of a program called Academic Anglers. The not-for-profit organization located in Melbourne, Fla., provides hands on boating and fishing experiences to children. An experienced fisherman, Harrison has volunteered with Academic Anglers since 2008. He’s led countless fishing clinics - sharing his passion for marine life and water safety with students.

“It’s a joy to watch them learn,” he said. “Through fishing and boating courses, children are exposed to new ways of thinking and gain more respect for the environment.”

Fish Facts and Ocean Fun

The Saturday class begins at the Marine Discovery Center. There, students learn about aquatic life – including how fish, plants and animals thrive in the water. “Did you know horseshoe crabs have eight legs AND they can flip themselves over with their tails?” Malik Harley beamed. “I also learned an octopus has three hearts and nine brains!”

Later that day, a member of the Coast Guard showed the class how to use professional flotation devices to stay safe in the water. Students also learned how to identify marine life, tie fishing knots using a large hook and rope, and cast a line.

“We want to expand their horizons and attract more children to the outdoor world,” said Academic Anglers Fishing Team President Charlie Roberts. “Seeing students gaining valuable experience outdoors - away from TV, computers and gaming systems is really rewarding.”

Making a Splash

That afternoon, students cast their lines in the water…steered the boat…and the best part? They caught lots of fish – including sea bass, sea grunt and red snapper which can weigh up to 50 pounds and live more than 50 years. The students also learned the importance of catch and release.

“I really enjoyed the fishing clinic with my twin girls, Jade and Jada,” said mother Patrice Smith. “We learned about different types of crabs, stingrays, turtles – and I am so grateful we now know how to fish!”

State Farm is a proud partner of Academic Anglers and its commitment to environmental education. Through the years, the fishing clinics have helped at-risk students stay out of trouble, excel in school and give back to their communities. Many of its first participants are now college graduates.

“There’s a sea of possibilities out there,” said Stan. “Success starts by branching out – or in this case, making that first cast.”

“I have so many things in my head. I’ve never been able to explain them before.”

Meet *Silvia, of Houston, Texas. Unable to attend school growing up, she couldn’t read or write. But as the author of her life story, she knew she could master the skills needed to create a brighter chapter for herself and her loved ones.

Silvia visited Literacy Advance of Houston and enrolled in classes. Since the 1960’s, the not-for-profit organization has been helping adults improve their literacy through trained volunteer tutors and programs like basic reading, writing and English.

Silvia was determined to:

• Learn to read and write.
• Get her GED.
• Do more for her children, herself, and her community.

“I wanted my son to know I am the boss. One day he will be the boss. I want him to go further and do more than I am but for now, I am still the boss,” she smiled. Literacy Advance made the learning process easy for Silvia. It offered flexible hours, programs to meet her needs, and the technology necessary to achieve. “If I have a problem, I know I can go to Diana, the Literacy Advance Transition Coach,” Silvia explained. “She helps me and even loaned me a computer so I can learn at home.”

Since beginning her literacy journey, Silvia’s skills have improved. She also started her own hair braiding business. Her newly-acquired ability to read and write allows her to reply to client text messages and answer their questions. Silvia also says she’s a more confident parent.

So what’s next for Silvia?

“I want to get my GED and write a book,” she grinned. “I have so many things in my head and I’ve never been able to explain them before. But now that I’m learning to read and write – I want to create my own novel, filled with my own thoughts.”

"Through the support of companies like State Farm, Literacy Advance is making a difference," said Program Director Kathryn Bauchelle. "With its assistance, we are able to reach out, help students in need and change lives."