Good Neighbor Stories

State Farm responds to Hurricane Beryl

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0500

The State Farm mobile workforce trained to handle catastrophe claims is activating their on-site response. Helping the residents of the impacted areas during is the first and critical step on the road to recovery.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday morning near Matagorda, Texas with sustained winds of 80 mph.

Customer Response Unit (CRU)

The State Farm Customer Response Unit (CRU) has deployed and is on the ground in Houston responding to support residents during the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. CRU team members are driving around the impacted neighborhoods and handing out needed items such as bottled water, first aid kits and work gloves to anyone who needs it.

The CRU team responds immediately following a disaster and navigates throughout impacted communities to provide in-person contact and friendly support. State Farm is there to support residents during this first and critical step on the road to recovery.

Catastrophe Customer Care Sites

Catastrophe Customer Care Sites were established in the Houston Metro area, where home and auto claim handlers were onsite to assist policyholders with claim handling needs.

In addition to the teams of catastrophe claim specialists on the ground to evaluate damage, our Beryl response includes State Farm agents who live and work in the same neighborhoods as our customers. They are joined by thousands of employees in centralized care centers across the country virtually helping answer customers’ questions and file their claims. Our remote claim teams are able to conduct virtual inspections with impacted customers following the storm, helping them in their time of need.

Claim filing options for those with damage from Beryl

As residents discover damage from the storm, they are encouraged to file their claim as soon as possible to begin recovery. State Farm customers can submit and manage their claim through various channels: submitting a claim through our mobile app, calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, through our website at statefarm.com/claims, or text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.

Use of technology to reach customers in more ways

State Farm is making the most of technology to reach customers in more ways and make the process of resolving claims even faster and easier:

Digital pay options allow for claim settlements to be direct-deposited into customers' bank accounts, getting funds to customers more quickly, whether or not banks are open.
Customers are encouraged to use the State Farm Mobile App and online account access for many self-service options such as filing and tracking claims, uploading documents during the claims process, requesting emergency roadside service, setting up a rental car reservation and setting up digital pay.

Tips for clean-up, recovery & claims process

When it is safe to do so, residents with property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property to remove debris and cover any openings created by the storm. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs. Keep track of the time and money you spend protecting your property.

Document and photograph everything! To assist with the insurance claim process, be sure to document items that are damaged. You can do this by providing purchase receipts for the damaged items, photographing the items and by making a room-by-room inventory of missing or damaged goods. Don’t discard or repair anything prior to reporting the claim.
If you decide to use a contractor, get a receipt for the cost of labor and materials to give your claim representative. Don't have any repair work done until you discuss with your claim representative. Also, preserve all building materials removed by any contractor or vendor until you speak with State Farm.
Be careful before signing anything without fully reading the documents. Be diligent before signing anything with a vendor or contractor that solicits you directly and advises you to file a homeowner’s claim.

NBA Post-season State Farm® Commercials and James Harden's Head

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 09:04:00 -0500

With the NBA postseason here and the Houston Rockets the No. 1 seed in the West, State Farm is launching two new spots on Friday April 13th featuring NBA All-Stars Chris Paul and James Harden, and Oscar Nunez (from NBC's "The Office").

Both are part of the ongoing “Get an agent that gets you” campaign, which demonstrates the value of having a relationship with a State Farm agent. The new films, “Teammates” and “Darkness,” give a comedic twist to the inspirational, emotional and over-stylized spots often seen during postseason play.

“Teammates” begins with Chris Paul’s inner thoughts as he ponders the meaning of team chemistry in a highly stylized world of shadowy defenders. In the end, the spot reveals he’s setting up an alley-oop for his State Farm Agent Cole Perez (played by Oscar Nunez). He dishes a no-look pass right before Cole grabs it and dunks over everyone’s head in dramatic fashion. They just get each other that well.

“Darkness” begins with Chris speaking to camera, delivering a motivational speech about his new role in Houston in a dramatic, dark setting. Suddenly, teammate James Harden interrupts by turning on the lights. We find James has disrupted a "DIY" commercial Chris and his State Farm Agent Cole are filming in the garage, showcasing a moment of comedy for fans.

Get Inside Harden’s Head

Houston Rockets Point Guard James Harden standing alongside “Get Inside Harden’s Head,” State Farm’s larger-than-life 3D installation at the Rockets Liftoff party at Toyota Center in Houston, TX on April 7, 2018.

Created to showcase what it’s like to have a State Farm agent that really gets you, fans can go inside the installation and play an interactive game to help clear Harden’s head of distractions before the big game.

The “Get An Agent That Gets You” campaign showcases how having a State Farm agent is like having someone who knows you so well and is so helpful, it feels like they’re literally inside your head.

The “Get Inside Harden’s Head” installation was an articulation of that message, customized for NBA All-Star Weekend in LA. It is also making appearances at several home games in Houston throughout the remainder of the season and playoffs.

Neighbors work together to take back their local park

Tue, 09 May 2017 08:48:00 -0500

A community park can be many things. A green, peaceful escape from a concrete jungle. A place for children to play outdoors. A gathering place to enjoy time with family and friends.

“At their best, parks are places for communities to come together,” said Amanda Timm, Houston Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Executive Director. “Unfortunately, many neighborhood parks do not live up to this ideal and are not safe places.”

One such place is Clark Park, a 12.74-acre park in a neighborhood north of downtown Houston. “Clark Park has seen robberies, illegal drug sales, and other criminal activity. It’s also the only park serving the neighborhood’s 17,800 residents,” Amanda explained.

Coming together to take action

In 2015, Clark Park residents decided to take back their park, but they weren’t sure where to start. They found a program that had transformed other neighborhood parks: “Great Opportunities (GO) Neighborhoods,” a Houston LISC program funded in part by State Farm. The program produces diverse, vibrant, and safe communities by engaging members of neighborhood.

In May 2016, community leaders hosted a safety audit and visioning session for Clark Park. More than 50 residents, city and University of Houston staff attended the daylong event. Together they observed and recorded any hazard to safety (blocked visibility, lighting problems, maintenance issues, etc.).

Alejandro Perez, a 23 year resident with a goal of becoming a homeowner, got involved in the safety audit. “I wanted to be a part of shaping the neighborhood I will live in with my kids, when I finally buy a house here.”

That day during the visioning session, residents discussed their thoughts and dreams about the future of Clark Park.

“This was fun because other people come up with ideas you don’t think about,” Alejandro remembered. “One neighbor thought of a pavilion. It surprised me how many different age groups were using the walking trails. It’s a small park, but neighbors connect to it in many ways.”

Residents said they would like an updated jogging trail, more family-friendly areas, and more police patrols.

The Clark Park day was one of the largest attended events of its kind in Houston. It was clear, the community was ready to create positive change in their neighborhood.

Two months later, local residents reviewed a rendering of potential Clark Park improvements. They shared feedback with the city entities and nonprofits. Avenue Community Development Corporation (Avenue CDC) leads the on-going improvement work in Clark Park.

“Clark Park has so much potential,” Avenue CDC’s Community Coordinator Maria Aguirre-Borrero said. “With the help of elected officials and community member engagement, the park will be a shining light in the community.”

In March 2017, leaders added Clark Park to the city’s Capital Improvement Project plans. Now the park will receive improvement funds.

“Clark Park is a fine example of how positive actions can result in neighborhood improvements,” Amanda said. “With determination and hard work, the neighborhood will soon have a park to be proud of.”

What can you do to improve your neighborhood? Visit Neighborhood of Good to find volunteer opportunities in your neck of the woods.

Other stories you might find interesting:

Volunteers Matter

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 06:52:00 -0500

“Once they have to pay their own bills, they will understand the value of a dollar!”

Have you ever uttered a similar sentence about your children? It can be hard for kids to grasp how much things cost until they have to make their own way in the world. By that point, they may have already made bad financial decisions. Decisions that can have them digging their way out of debt for years.

That’s where financial literacy education comes into play. Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas (JASET) teaches fourth through sixth grade students the value of a dollar in their classrooms.

JASET also provides the students with a unique, hands on program called JA BizTown. This learning experience helps students make a connection between what they learn in school and how to apply it in the real world.

In JA BizTown, students “work” in businesses, restaurants, city government, utilities, and banks. And they earn paychecks and pay bills!

But what makes JA BizTown so successful? Volunteers. Business executives, community leaders, and parents engaging in the classrooms is what makes JA BizTown a big hit.

“JASET knows volunteers are essential to reaching more than 300,000 Houston-area students each year,” DeJeania Jones, who manages JA BizTown, shared. “On local school campuses, volunteers teach financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship. They help students understand and practice critical thinking skills. They also act as mentors and role models to students.”

JA BizTown is something students look forward to each year. It’s a one-time opportunity to enjoy a field trip to operate a business for a day, serve as bank teller, mayor, or take part in one of dozens of other roles.

On that day, local volunteers share experiences from their own lives as they help students. They show them how to run businesses, sell goods/services, deposit checks, pay bills, and complete other tasks to be active citizens of JA BizTown.

“When good neighbors make time to volunteer in classrooms, students gain a better understanding of how education is relevant to the jobs, income levels, and lifestyles,” shared DeJeania.

“JA BizTown positively impacts students in many ways,” DeJeania said. “We love seeing the energy students have when they apply their classroom lessons taught by local volunteers.”

“It makes me feel very happy that so many people make time to improve my education by teaching in our classroom and they helped me to develop life skills by guiding me during my field trip to JA BizTown,” from an evaluation by Rain, a fifth grader who spent a day in JA BizTown. “I hope we made you proud.”

“Each year, one of our goals is to increase volunteers who take part in classrooms and at JA BizTown,” DeJeania said. “Through volunteerism, State Farm – who also provides annual philanthropic support - and other supporters show their dedication to helping students do well both academically and in their future as workers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.”

The Author of Her Destiny

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 08:00:00 -0600

Picture this: You’re handed an open book and asked to read it aloud. But the pages look like meaningless symbols. You’re lost in a busy city - and can’t recognize the street signs. Your child needs help with homework. But their worksheet is too difficult to process. For millions of people who struggle with low literacy…this is real life.

“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."