Rankin is the executive director of Happy Wheels, a nonprofit organization that provides toys and books for hospitalized children at three hospitals in South Carolina. Although their mission is on hold because of COVID-19, the organization is still working to provide happiness and a distraction for children.

“We’re all about providing a moment of kid time to enjoy non-medical time during their hospital stay. We hear a lot that the Happy Wheels cart is the only bright spot for the kids,” Rankin said. “For those couple of minutes, it takes their mind off what they are there for and lets them be a kid.”

Happy Wheels also focuses on teaching younger generations to give back and help those not as fortunate by providing volunteer service hour opportunities. High school and college students host toy drives or fundraisers for Happy Wheels, and also help Rankin write thank you notes and sort toys into each age group.

Rankin said when Happy Wheels is allowed into the hospitals, about 300-350 kids receive a toy or book a week.

“The best part is seeing the change in their faces when we tell them why we’re there,” she said. “A majority of the kids don’t know who we are, so we knock on the door and they’re skeptical. When they see the cart, the change in their faces is indescribable. The child-like joy and ability to forget everything going on – there is no other feeling like it.”

Happy Wheels received a State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant in 2019.

In its ninth year, State Farm Neighborhood Assist provides $25,000 grants to 40 nonprofits each year to help fund neighborhood improvement projects. Because of the many challenges facing our nation right now, State Farm^® is removing all category requirements for submissions this year. This action will free up communities to submit causes to address their greatest needs.

The submission phase opens July 15 and ends when 2,000 submissions are reached. The State Farm Review Committee narrows the field to the Top 200 finalists using a scoring rubric. The voting phase will then take place Sept. 23-Oct. 2, when voters can vote for their favorite cause 10 times a day, every day. Finally, the 40 causes that receive the most votes will each win a $25,000 grant. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at www.neighborhoodassist.com.

"Grant programs that address community needs, like Neighborhood Assist, are more important than ever,” said Annette Martinez, State Farm Senior Vice President. “This initiative truly embodies the spirit of being a Good Neighbor.”

Last year, 163,000 people cast 4.4 million votes in support of their favorite causes, selecting winners from small towns and big cities. Since the program began, State Farm has awarded $8 million in support of more than 300 causes.

Rankin is hoping to win again this year.

“As a small nonprofit, it’s difficult to get grants. Neighborhood Assist gives us a chance to compete with the larger nonprofits,” she said. “I’ve never seen a grant process like it. I’m really grateful to State Farm.”

“Current State Farm driving data and claims experience show a considerable decline in miles driven and fewer accidents,” said Dan Krause, Senior Vice President. “As a result, we’re looking for ways to continue supporting our South Carolina customers while we monitor and adjust to trends.”

In addition to the auto rate reduction, the discount for participating in Drive Safe & Save™ is increasing to 10%, and empowers drivers to save more on their auto premiums through driving behaviors.

Customer rate reductions will vary based on their individual renewals. Customers are encouraged to visit with their State Farm agent about individual policies, coverage and any opportunities for discounts, including Drive Safe & Save.

To get the claims process started, you can file your claim online, call 1-800-SFCLAIM (800-732-5246) or contact your State Farm agent.

The State Farm Weather and Catastrophe Team is being dispatched to the hardest hit areas. Click the image to learn more about the capabilities of this industry-leading response unit.

More tips and resources:

• Avoid driving if possible. If you have to travel, turn around if the road is flooded or blocked by debris.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Anything touching the power line can carry a charge. Report the downed line and avoid the area.
• Simple Insights:  Hurricane disaster cleanup after the storm

In the News

• CBS WINK TV (Fort Myers, Naples, FL)  Time to review you insurance coverage (08-29-19)
• NBC Ch 6 (Miami) - Are You Ready for Dorian? Get ready now (08-27-19)
• El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Spanish) Is my home insured for hurricanes? (08-26-19)

“We’re always evaluating how we can best serve our customers and are very pleased to be able to offer this rate decrease in South Carolina,” said State Farm Vice President-Agency Becky Blevins. “Improving expenses and losses were important factors, among many, that supported our decision to make this rate change.”

Overall changes in premiums for individual motorists will vary depending on the specific details of an individual customer’s policy and chosen coverages. The effective date for new and renewal business is March 18, 2019. Customers with questions can contact their local State Farm agent to discuss their individual situation.

In addition to this rate reduction, State Farm agents are able to review with new and existing customers the many opportunities for additional discounts that may apply to an individual’s unique circumstances. A rate decrease, combined with discounts, offers exceptional long-term value to State Farm customers.

In addition to the operational capabilities granted by these FAA waivers, State Farm will continue to utilize drone technology as a tool for our claim representatives to assist in individual inspections of our customers’ homes and properties related to these hurricanes.

It was less than one month ago when Hurricane Florence struck North and South Carolina. State Farm was the first and only insurance company to receive an FAA waiver allowing Claims pilots to operate drones beyond visual line of sight and over people for damage assessment. Drone flights were coordinated with the FAA and Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) at Virginia Tech as part of the Integration Pilot Program for large-scale damage assessment in Virginia and South Carolina.

State Farm requires the ability to quickly assess damage after significant weather events in order to serve customers as efficiently as possible. Drone technology is an additional tool providing technical capabilities to quickly deploy over an event site and assess damage from the air. Data obtained from drone flights can be used for determining severity of the event for better resource allocation and quick determination of uninhabitable insured property.

State Farm drone pilots will operate eBee fixed-wing drones for flights approved under the FAA waiver for damage assessment. Claims representatives conducting drone flights for roof inspections will utilize Kespry multi-rotor drones.

To get the claims process started, you can file your claim online, call 1-800-SFCLAIM (800-732-5246) or contact your State Farm agent.

The State Farm Weather and Catastrophe Team is being dispatched to the hardest hit areas. Click the image to learn more about the capabilities of this industry-leading response unit.

In The News:

• WFSU -  Insurance Company Takes To The Sky After Hurricane Michael (10/17/18)
• WPTV - West Palm Beach:  Insurance companies use drones to assess storm damage for faster, easier claims process (10/18/18)
• WMBB Live in Panama Beach: The Panama City Mall parking lot has become a staging area for work crews. State Farm also has an insurance claim center set up, and mall staff say the mall is working to reopen.(10-15-18)
• WYFF-Greenville, SC:  Flood Insurance on the Rise After Florence (9/18/18)

• The Weather Channel: What to do before and after a hurricane (09/11/18)

The insurance company has been collaborating with the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) on one of ten elite teams selected earlier this year to the FAA Integration Pilot Program (IPP). Their successful application for this unprecedented waiver is a testament to the program’s success in facilitating rapid, research-based advances in drone operations to serve communities’ needs.

“State Farm needs to quickly assess damage after significant weather events,” says Robert Yi, Senior Vice President – State Farm. “Drone technology provides us with the capability to quickly deploy over a catastrophe site and assess damage from the air. The data we obtain from drone flights can be used to help us determine the severity of damage. This also allows us to place our Claims team on-the-ground and evaluate uninhabitable insured property.”

Since May 2018, State Farm has collaborated with MAAP and Virginia Tech’s world-renowned injury biomechanics group to assess a wide range of potential risks and strategies for reducing them; the team collected data on a variety of parameters including the aircraft’s communications performance, navigational precision, and the risk of injury to humans. The strength of the data made a compelling case to the FAA that State Farm could safely conduct sophisticated aerial damage-assessment operations following the devastating impact of Hurricane Florence. That capability gives State Farm additional tools to serve customers and moves the whole drone industry forward.

Current FAA regulations restrict pilots from flying drones beyond their visual line of sight and from flying drones over groups of people. In a catastrophe situation such as Hurricane Florence, access to the area may be challenged by water, debris, and damage to infrastructure. Damage may also extend across a large area, making efficient damage assessment very difficult. The new waiver will make the insurer’s work much easier by allowing longer-distance flights over densely populated areas.

The FAA waiver reflects months of detailed research following a process pioneered by MAAP for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating potential risks presented by drone operations.

“This is a pivotal moment that demonstrates the value of a risk-based safety case development process,” said MAAP director Mark Blanks. “Drone technology has tremendous potential to serve the public, but before we can harness that capability we need to demonstrate conclusively that ambitious operations can be done safely. This waiver, and the volume of research that backs it up, shows that this approach works.”

The disaster-assessment work this waiver will enable exemplifies the purpose of the IPP: to facilitate the next generation of drone applications by working with communities on groundbreaking projects that can improve the public’s quality of life and spur innovation. Through research collaboration with MAAP, State Farm determined that flying the eBee fixed-wing drone reduced the risk of damage to people and property. Manufactured by senseFly, the drone also captures high-resolution imagery.

Earlier this year, the Virginia-based research team was selected for the FAA Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced their selection of teams for the multi-year program following a competitive application process. State Farm is the only insurance company selected to participate in the program. Approximately 150 communities applied for the program. Only 10 teams from across the country were selected.

Over the next three years, the Virginia team will explore applications of drone technology including catastrophe response, emergency management, and infrastructure inspection. The day-to-day operations will be managed by Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) at Virginia Tech, which has accumulated significant expertise running one of only seven federal test sites for unmanned aircraft systems. The organization has built a reputation for facilitation of ground-breaking testing while upholding the most rigorous standards of safety.

In The News

• Forbes:  FAA OKs Long-Range Drone Flights Over Populated Areas By State Farm To Assess Florence Damage (9/19/18)

• Unmanned Aerial:  State Farm Granted Key Drone Permissions for Florence Damage Assessment (9/19/18)

• The Roanoke Star:  VA Tech / State Farm Collaborate to Secure FAA Waiver for Drone Operations in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Florence (9/19/18)

To get the claims process started, you can file your claim online, call 1-800-SFCLAIM (800-732-5246) or contact your State Farm agent.

The State Farm Weather and Catastrophe Team is being dispatched to the hardest hit areas. Click the image to learn more about the capabilities of this industry-leading response unit.

In The News:

• Forbes: FAA OKs Long-Range Drone Flights Over Populated Areas By State Farm To Assess Florence Damage (9/19/18)

• WYFF-Greenville, SC:  Flood Insurance on the Rise After Florence (9/18/18)

• NBC29-Charlottesville: State Farm Mobile Center Readying to Roll Out of Albemarle County Office (09/14/18)

• Weather Channel: Florence coverage, Jake from State Farm dog (09/13/18)

• WUSA-Washington, DC: What's the difference between water coverage and flood coverage? (09/11/18)

• Bloomington Pantagraph: State Farm: 'Ready to respond' to Hurricane Florence (09/12/18)

• WCCB-Charlotte: State Farm Insurance Not Making Policy Changes In Light Of Hurricane Florence (09/11/18)

• The Weather Channel: What to do before and after a hurricane (09/11/18)

Esther, 4, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia just before her third birthday.

“Esther’s diagnosis was a horrible day in our lives,” says Esther’s mother, Claudia Silva. “She was so young and weak. She lost her hair twice. Her side effects were the worst because she was so upset from the chemo and how it was affecting her, but she couldn’t explain with words what was wrong.”

But one of the unforeseen side effects was isolation. Due to chemotherapy treatments, Esther spends most of her time at home.

“Every time we went any place that had a playground, she couldn’t go,” says Claudia. “Sometimes she can’t go outside at all because it can be dangerous.”

The Roc Solid Foundation wanted to help Esther be a kid again. The Foundation builds hope for kids with cancer through its Play It Forward initiative, among others. The Play It Forward initiative builds custom playsets in backyards of children ages 1-8 fighting cancer and completes room makeovers for children ages 8-18.

The foundation orchestrates a whole day of fun for the family. Volunteers arrive early to escort the family to a limo, where they are taken away. During the day, the playset is built for the child and then the family returns for the surprise unveiling.

“It’s powerful for a child to be a kid for a day and for the family to see their child smiling and happy,” says Roc Solid Foundation Director of Communications Ashley Martin. “Just seeing what these families go through and being able to allow them to completely escape all of that for a day is amazing.”

Andrew Brownfield, a State Farm^® agent in Rock Hill, S.C., and several other agents volunteered to help. State Farm also provided a grant to help fund the project.

After the family left for the day of fun and relaxation, the group of volunteers gathered to kick start their work by each sharing why they were there. Then, everyone began the tasks of putting the playset together, prepping the area and even pulling weeds around the house.

“One of the big things when you’re dealing with childhood cancer is nothing else matters,” says Andrew. “We noticed their landscaping was overgrown so we borrowed a few bags of the mulch meant for the play area, cleaned out all the weeds around the house and added mulch to the area.”

Once the playset was built, Roc Solid suggested the volunteers write notes of encouragement on the playset. Esther will have notes of encouragement as she grows.

When the family arrived home, they were led to the backyard where friends, family and the volunteers waited for them. Esther, her brothers, David and Daniel, and their neighborhood friends excitedly played on their very own playset.

“She has been playing every single day. It’s hard to take her off it,” Claudia says. “I will not forget those faces who did this for us. They were so kind to do it. I tell my kids, ‘They didn’t know us. They are not our relatives.’ When we came here from Brazil, we didn’t have relatives and I thought we would be alone, but so many people who never knew us were happy to help.

“That’s why I have been so blessed.”

"The company's current financial strength is allowing us to pass along a rate reduction to our South Carolina customers," said State Farm Senior Vice President Dan Krause. "We continually evaluate how we can best serve our customers and are very pleased to be able to offer this rate decrease in South Carolina"

Overall changes in premiums for individual motorists will vary depending on the specific details of an individual customer's policy and chosen coverages. The effective date for new and renewal business is June 25, 2018. South Carolina customers with questions can contact their local State Farm agent to discuss their individual situation.

In addition to this rate reduction, State Farm agents are able to review with new and existing customers the many opportunities for additional discounts that may apply to an individual's unique circumstances. A rate decrease combined with discounts offers an exceptional long-term value to State Farm customers.

Choosing the right emoji can be difficult. Deciphering another person’s emoji message can be just as hard. However, followers of @TrooperBob_SCHP receive the message loud and clear: Safety is always #1.

Standing 6’5”, Sgt. Bob Beres of the South Carolina Highway Patrol is a formidable presence, in person and on social media. Armed with a phone and some creativity, he uses emojis to get the message out about safe practices behind the wheel.

South Carolina is no exception to the national trend of increasing numbers of roadway deaths. As of November 29, 2015, 860 people lost their lives on SC highways compared to 733 deaths recorded during the same period of time in 2014.

@TrooperBob_SCHP recently took to Twitter for a Q&A with @JakeStateFarm and @StateFarm. Check it out:

How are our family finances? Did we stay within budget? If you are like most Americans, conversations about these important money matters probably don’t come up. What if they did?

While most individuals believe we should talk about money, most don’t. According to the American Psychological Association, 95 percent of people believe parents should talk to their kids about money. However, only about two-thirds say they were taught how to manage money, and just one-third report talking with their family about the subject.

Working Together: Organizations and Families Work as a Team

In the foothills of South Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, two organizations are empowering parents and children to have those money conversations. Families are tackling their finances together and benefitting. The result is reducing inter-generational poverty.

The Greenville County Human Relations Commission (GCHRC) found many adults were unable to complete their financial education workshops due to lack of childcare. The Children’s Museum of the Upstate was presenting a children’s program on basic financial literacy. They teamed up to create the “Finances for the Family” program for a win-win.

The six-session program educates parents and children at the same time. Each organization uses their expertise to address different financial situations.

Take the budgeting session for example. While parents work with financial counselors to set a household budget, their children “shop” in the museum grocery store staying within an assigned budget. The families then come back together for more activities to reinforce the lesson and promote positive conversations about money.

“It is empowering to myself, as well as my children. Because of the program, my kids are now saving for two reasons: their future and their own personal goals. I could go on non-stop for days about the wonders of this class and how beneficial it is to my family. But, instead, I will just say this: Thank You for the time you took to give my family hope for our financial future”

- Finances for the Family participant, and Mother of 3 children

Visible Success Spawns Future Interest

State Farm has supported the pilot since it began in the fall of 2014. Since then, 41 families have graduated from the program. Interest in upcoming classes has doubled.

Graduation from the program is just the beginning. Families can then access more financial counseling that supports their long-term financial goals. To help them start, each family receives a $50 certificate for initial deposit into their choice of either a 529 college savings account or an Individual Development Account; a $40 deposit into a custodial savings account for each child in the family; and an annual pass to the Children’s Museum. Each child receives a $5 bill as a graduation gift and is encouraged to practice their new money management skills.

Individual follow-ups with the families show parents and children thriving with their newly acquired financial management skills and knowledge.

“We’re no longer classified as a paycheck to paycheck family. Now there’s a peace about it,” said Jennifer Byrd. “It’s exciting to know my money is where it’s supposed to be. It’s going to keep us where we need to be. And, if ‘life happens’ we have a little bit of a bounce-back.”