ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 2, 2015 – 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 fifth 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 Monday afternoon, Aug. 31.
“Trusted Choice® is proud to continue using social media in such a positive way to raise funds and awareness for Make-A-Wish,” says Dave Evans, Trusted Choice® executive director. “We have sponsored wishes for 36 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® is providing 50 grants this year, totaling $375,000, to Make-A-Wish chapters through a local sponsorship initiative.”
This is the fifth year Trusted Choice® has held a social media campaign to benefit Make-A-Wish. The campaigns have raised more than $770,000 and Trusted Choice® has contributed an additional $1.5 million through the local grant sponsorships. Collectively, Trusted Choice® has donated more than $2 million to Make-A-Wish since 2011.
“Independent insurance agents and brokers have a strong track record of active participation and charitable contributions in hundreds of communities across the country and this annual campaign is an important opportunity for all of us to join forces for a very worthy, national effort,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Trusted Choice® president and Big “I” president & CEO. “Make-A-Wish is there for wish kids and their families in their greatest time of need and we are proud and honored to continue our relationship with this wonderful organization.”
The social media campaign has also successfully promoted Trusted Choice® to a broader audience. During the month of August, 15,124 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 has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered 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 27,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 37 minutes. It has granted more than 254,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,200 in 2014 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.
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 more than 25,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 68 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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