On a hot New York summer day, teams from 12 insurance/ reinsurance companies and agencies donned their game caps to face off in the seventh annual 2015 Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) Charity Softball Tournament held on July 30. The 16-year-old softball tradition, which became a charitable event in 2008, supports many charities. This year the selected charity was the children of military families in the New York tri-state region as part of Our Military Kids. The organization provides assistance to children when parents are deployed or injured serving our country.
There are more than 35,000 children ages three to 18 directly affected by the deployment of National Guard or Reserve parents serving in the war on terrorism. Another 54,000 have a parent recovering from a severe injury sustained in service. Our Military Kids offers grants to children to cover fees associated with athletic, fine arts, and tutoring programs. This program is offered to all children of deployed National Guard and Reserve military personnel, and to children of wounded and fallen warriors in all branches of service. Helping to make sure their kids are well supported is a powerful way to show appreciation to the men and women in our military, who each day lay their lives on the line for our freedoms.
Teams in the tournament contribute $5,000 annually to play three consecutive games and compete for the winning title. This year, a group of 17 Munich Re employees with varying skill levels played their hearts out. Although their results on the field did not “bring home the prize,” it was a big win in other ways.
Munich Re players recalled some memorable moments from the day involving several exciting plays by teammates, including a dive for home plate, superior bat control, and smash singles up the middle.
(Contributed photo: IICF)
Competitors unite in common cause
The most valuable experience gained year after year, however, is the camaraderie between not just team members, but with the other companies’ teams. An added bonus is the relationships and business contacts that often develop out of these annual tournaments.
The insurance industry by nature is very competitive, and it is always a fulfilling sight to witness the competitive spirit being played out on the field to support one common cause. The tournament encourages an entire industry of competitors to work side-by-side for their communities, bringing out the good spirit and attitude of the players.
As one of the founding board companies in the Northeast, Munich Re’s involvement with IICF dates back over 20 years to around the time of its inception. Our insurance industry is one that does not always fare well in the court of public opinion. However, if you look at all the ways we help our communities, neighbors and even our economy, it is extremely valuable to have an organization like IICF to showcase the tremendous value we bring.
IICF contributions since 1994
The IICF not only harnesses the power of the insurance industry in what it does best—helping people in times of need—but also elevates the image of the industry through its many kind acts of giving. Since 1994, IICF has contributed more than $23.5 million in local community grants, nearly 200,000 hours of volunteer service, and the leadership of more 
than 25,000 industry volunteers for programs dealing with education, children at risk, health and safety, disaster preparedness, and the environment.
As one of the largest participants in an industry that is so vital to society and the economy, Munich Re and its 45,000 employees (including almost 5,000 in the U.S.) are committed to giving back to our communities. Munich Re's understanding of corporate responsibility has always involved assuming responsibility for the communities in which we live and work. Our concept of corporate citizenship provides the framework for linking our involvement in the form of donations, social sponsoring and corporate volunteering even more strongly with content that is important for business. In addition to our activities in the areas of the environment, natural catastrophes, demographic change and health, Munich Re supports education and science as well as social and cultural projects at its business locations.
We are proud to support the IICF, and to participate in the annual softball tournament on behalf of Our Military Kids. It brings together industry friends and competitors in a fun activity, all for a great cause.
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