ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 12, 2014 – Trusted Choice®, the consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers, exceeded its goal of 15,000 Facebook “shares” during the month of August in its fourth annual social media campaign to raise money for Make-A-Wish®.
For every “share” from the Trusted Choice® Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TrustedChoice) during the month of August, Trusted Choice® donated $10 to Make-A-Wish. Trusted Choice® committed to donating a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $150,000 with this campaign and reached the goal of 15,000 “shares” on Friday morning, Aug. 29.
“Trusted Choice® is proud to once again use social media in such a positive way to raise money and awareness for Make-A-Wish,” says Dave Evans, Trusted Choice® executive director. “We have sponsored wishes for 29 children with life-threatening medical conditions since our first social media campaign in 2011. We are excited to announce that our $150,000 contribution will make even more life-changing wishes possible. In addition, Trusted Choice® will provide 71 grants to Make-A-Wish chapters through a $532,500 local sponsorship initiative before year’s end in order to further impact the lives of wish kids nationwide.”
This is the fourth year Trusted Choice® has held a social media campaign to benefit Make-A-Wish. The social media campaigns have raised more than $620,000 and the grant activity an additional $1,057,500. Collectively, Trusted Choice® has raised more than $1.7 million for Make-A-Wish since 2011.
“Independent insurance agents and brokers have a strong track record of active participation and charitable giving in their communities and this annual project is an important opportunity for all of us to join forces for a very worthy, national campaign,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Trusted Choice® president and Big “I” president & CEO. “Independent agents are there to instill confidence and hope in their clients and customers, and that’s what Make-A-Wish does. Make-A-Wish is there for wish kids and their families in their greatest time of need, just like Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents.”
The social media campaign has also successfully promoted Trusted Choice® to a broader audience and has been hailed as a marketing effort. During the month of August, 18,586 posts from the Trusted Choice Facebook page were shared.
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 240,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,000 in 2013 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for almost 25,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 70 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”), is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of approximately a quarter of a million independent insurance agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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