It’s been my profound privilege to serve on the NAILBA Charitable Foundation board for a number of years, and help the foundation since its inception in 2002. Broker World was one of the original founding contributors and has continued to donate ever since. But I personally have been greatly rewarded beyond philanthropy by the amazing number of wonderful people I’ve been able to foster or enrich friendships with both on the board and by hawking raffle tickets at the annual meeting. The giving nature of our industry is seen in great measure and certainly seems to be alive and flourishing.
The NAILBA Charitable Foundation is where altruism meets the business of NAILBA. Since its creation by Founder Col. J. William Felton III in 2002, the Foundation has encouraged volunteerism in the NAILBA communities. NAILBA members and their corporate partners are encouraged to sponsor a charity they feel is working towards its mission of making dreams come true for those less fortunate. The Foundation is dedicated to providing grant funding to small, well-run charities that may not otherwise have access to additional funding. Since its inception, NAILBA Charitable Foundation grants have helped worthwhile philanthropic organizations plant seeds of change in their communities. NCF welcomes grant applications from NAILBA members, partners, and corporate sponsors, and greatly appreciates their efforts to improve conditions for those less fortunate.
The mission of the NAILBA Charitable Foundation is to encourage philanthropy and business to work hand in hand helping others who are at risk. Since 2002, the Foundation has raised and contributed more than four million dollars to more than 300 deserving charities and community organizations nationwide.
2022 contributions allowed the Foundation to grant funds to 24 deserving charities totaling $250,000. 2023 NCF grant recipients included: Our Mother’s Home of SW Florida, $25,000, the Felton Award Winner, for their Mentored Living Program; Action 169, $20,000, for their Runway For Action program; On Eagles Wings, $20,000, for their OEW Hope House Residential Treatment Scholarship program; Wishes And More, $20,000, for their Wishes and Memorial program; Jewish Relief Agency, $18,000, for their Monthly Food Distribution program; Kaitlyn’s Kloset-MN, $18,000, for their Food For All program; Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, $15,000, for their Family Support: Crucial Educational Support Resources For Families Facing Childhood Brain Tumor program; Time On Water, $12,000, for their Fishing Trip program; Ark House, $10,000, for their Apartment Lease Project; Capper Foundation, $10,000, for PSAF: Pediatric Scholarship Assistance Fund; Family Matters, $10,000, for their Social Wellness program; Madison Reading Project, $10,000, for their Expanded Big Red Reading Bus program; Salina Chapter of AMBUCS, $10,000, for their AMBUCS Mobility Program; Scholars Hope, $10,000, for their Academy; Sock Out Cancer, $10,000, for their Kansas Meets Boston Benefit Concert; Ready Readers, $10,000, for their Ready Readers Storytime program; Evergreen Goodwill of NW Washington, $7,500, for their Youth Aerospace program; Bringing Hope Home, $6,000, for their Light Of Hope Family program; Boys & Girls Club Binghamton, $5,000, for workspace items for their Teen Power Hour Tutoring program; and Ronald McDonald House of Central Arkansas, $2,500, for their Dental Care of Central Arkansas program. Four other charities received smaller amounts.
In 2023 the Foundation received more than $309,000 dollars in donations thanks to the incredible generosity of NAILBA/Finseca member agencies, vendors and carriers, as well as personal donations from too many wonderful staff members of those entities to even count. The great success of the 2023 fundraising efforts and a hopeful outlook for the coming year should make the 2024 grant cycle even more helpful, inspiring and heartwarming.
Few things in my life feel more rewarding and moving than watching the videos of each year’s grant recipients shown during the NAILBA/Finseca Mooers Award Dinner. Has unfailingly brought a tear each year. May God bless all you givers of time and/or money in the brokerage community and beyond.[SPH]
