Giving kids the world
Insurers donated thousands of hours and millions of dollars to support their communities and worthwhile organizations across North America this year.
As an industry, insurers, third-party administrators, and their vendors have donated hundreds of thousands of hours and raised millions of dollars to help countless individuals and worthwhile organizations around the globe.
Insurers are known for helping insureds and claimants recover after serious loss, accidents and health events, but the professionals who work for and with them also understand the importance of giving back beyond their jobs.
When I made my annual trip to the Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference in Orlando, Fla., I was able to experience this kind and generous spirit first-hand. Over 1,200 volunteers representing 157 companies worked on 27 different projects at the Give Kids the World Village (GKTW). In just 3.5 hours, we accomplished 2.5 years of work for GKTW, which provides a fun, safe place for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to rest and relax.
So many insurance professionals wanted to contribute their time and talents that GKTW had to cap the number of volunteers and set up service opportunities at two locations. They painted furniture and fences, cleaned gutters, served the kids breakfast and ice cream, cleaned hundreds of dolls and stuffed animals, made masks and pompoms for special events, painted butterflies on the walkways, swept sand between the tiles on the promenade, weeded, landscaped and so much more. It was a great example of true servant leadership as everyone worked to serve these families.
The annual Gala and silent auction raised $100,000 for the 84-acre resort. A little boy named Kellan shared some of his journey, which he described as “a little bit hard, but a little bit easy.” He has undergone five surgeries on his heart and got to spend a week at GKTW. “It was so amazing at the villa. My mind has been blown out at Give Kids the World,” he shared.
If you’re ever in Orlando and have some free time, I encourage you to volunteer there for a few hours. The looks on the children’s faces are priceless and something you won’t forget any time soon. I always count it a privilege to spend time there.
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