State Farm Agent Jackie Hunt presented the check to Program Director Robyn Thibado on Friday, April 18th. The grant will go toward West CAP’s homeownership program, which helps families better understand the connection between establishing a strong credit reputation and building a strong financial foundation so they may embark on successful long-term homeownership.

“Programs like what West CAP provides compliments our interests in building strong neighborhoods,” explained Elizabeth Tharp, Vice President of Agency for Wisconsin. ”State Farm is committed to helping families achieve their dreams of homeownership and build wealth.”

West CAP offers regular homebuyer education workshops and lists dates and locations for these events at westcap.org. During these sessions, participants learn more about the home buying process, as well as what steps individuals need to take to own their first home. In addition, one-on-one counseling is available for families that have a need.

“One of West CAP’s strategies to combat poverty is to ensure that low-income families have access to affordable housing” said Peter H. Kilde, West CAP Executive Director. “Our homebuyer program offers education and financial assistance for low-income families to obtain stable housing and build assets. Partnerships with businesses like State Farm help us to continue providing this needed service to our local communities.”

For more information or to pre-register for homebuyer education workshops, call 1-800-606-9227.

About West CAP

West CAP, a 501c3 non-profit established in 1965, is one of the first community action agencies in the United States. Located in Glenwood City, Wisconsin, West CAP works to promote the sustainability of low-income families and communities in west central Wisconsin.

After this rate change is implemented, State Farms overall rate level in Wisconsin will be 13.2 percent lower than it was eight years ago.

Premiums for the collision coverage are going down. The cost of the medical payments, collision and comprehensive coverages will go up for some and down for others. The comprehensive coverage pays for losses from such perils as theft, storm damage, fire, vandalism and glass breakage.

Overall premium changes for individual motorists will vary depending on factors such as the coverages they carry, the discounts for which they qualify, where they live, the kind of car insured, who drives it and how much it is driven.

About one in every seven cars insured in Wisconsin is insured by State Farm.

For example, many people dont adjust their insurance after making major purchases like new televisions or other expensive electronics. In fact, a recent State Farm® survey found that more than a quarter of Americans havent taken an inventory of their personal goods in more than two years. Additionally, nearly 30 percent of Americans can't remember or have never taken stock of their belongings.

According to State Farms database, in 2007, the average paid claim for stolen personal property was more than $5,000.00.

We encourage everyone to seek the advice of their insurance agent whenever a major new purchase is made, says State Farm spokeswoman Ann Avery. Homeowners and renters should stay informed about the amount of coverage they have and the value of the contents of their home or apartment.

Some policies place limits on the amount of coverage given to certain items such as jewelry, fur, or firearms, which Avery said is why its so important to pay attention to your policy and consult with your insurance agent.

Link to free home inventory checklist: http://www.statefarm.com/learning/loss_prevent/learning_loss_homeinventory1.asp

State Farm® reports increase in cost of water claims, reminds consumers to take precautions

Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 12, 2010 - The average cost per claim - about $15,000 - related to water damage from frozen pipes increased 33 percent between 2007 and 2008, State Farm reports.

As Old Man Winter makes his way across the country it's important to take a few minutes to assess pipe vulnerability. Freezing temperatures could cause pipes to freeze and burst, destroying floors, furniture, appliances and treasured family heirlooms.

"A small crack in a pipe can cause extensive damage,” said Jamie France, State Farm loss mitigation manager. "In most cases, water losses can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions. Spending a few minutes to protect your pipes could save you time and expense down the road.”

Beat the Freeze

Minimize the chance your pipes will freeze by insulating pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors and ceilings. Disconnect outside garden hoses, and seal foundation cracks that let arctic air freeze pipes in crawlspaces.

A few simple tasks can help protect pipes and homes when a severe freeze is predicted:

• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to piping under sinks and vanities near exterior walls.
•  Run a small trickle of water from hot and cold faucets during extreme cold.
• Keep exterior doors to unheated spaces closed as much as possible during winter months.
• If you plan to be away for an extended period, have the water system professionally drained.
• If you are taking a short trip, ask a neighbor to check the house regularly during severe cold spells. Discovering a burst pipe or water leak quickly can prevent excessive damage.
• Install a whole house water leak detection system. For a list of manufacturers visit: http://www.statefarm.com/learning/loss_prevent/learning_loss_water_leak_det_system.asp
• If you own a business that will be unoccupied for more than 24 hours at a time make arrangements to have the building inspected once a day during winter. Quickly discovering a burst pipe or water leak can prevent excessive damage.

Winter Buildup on Roofs also can be Damaging

A heavy snow blanket and icicles hanging from the roof may be beautiful, but those icicles can be an indicator of a big problem — ice dams. 

After several days of melting-freezing cycles, it's common for the melted snow and ice to work up under the roof shingles until water enters the attic and eventually does damage to the ceilings, wall and contents. These ice dams usually form where the roof meets the gutter and result in large chunks of ice and icicles hanging from the roof. Ice dams that go unnoticed for an extended period of time can do significant damage to the building and its contents. 

One way to avoid this danger is to keep snow and ice loads on your roof to a minimum.  Do not go onto your roof to remove snow; hire professionals or use long-handled devices on the market called "roof rakes,” which let you stand on the ground and pull down snow and ice.  Remember to stand clear of the falling snow and ice. 

There's no way to guarantee an ice dam won't damage your home, but you can take steps to cut the chances of an ice dam forming in the first place:

• Thoroughly clean all leaves, sticks and other debris from your home's gutters and downspouts.
• Evaluate the insulation and ventilation in your attic. Most experts agree the R-value of attic insulation should be at least R-30 (R-38 is preferable in northern climates).

If Ice Dams are Causing Water Damage

The following are short-term fixes. In order to avoid the same problem in the future, a qualified contractor should assess the amount of attic insulation and attic ventilation (especially around where the ice dam formed) and look for holes in the air barrier between the living spaces and the attic.

• If you see water staining at an exterior wall or ceiling where there is snow on the roof above it, act quickly to avoid extensive damage.
• Hire a contractor to carefully remove most of the snow from the roof above the ice dam. The contractor should avoid touching the roof with the removal equipment or even walking on the roof if possible. Cold roofs are more prone to damage because they are more brittle than they are in the summer.
• Have the contractor create one or two grooves in the ice dam to allow the ponding water to drain off. These grooves should not be taken down to the roofing as this may damage the roof. If necessary, the contractor can use heat tape in the groove on a temporary basis to keep the groove open.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About State Farm®

State Farm, founded in 1922, insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada.  State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts.  State Farm also offers customers banking, annuities and mutual funds products.  State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies.  State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies.  For more information, please visit statefarm.com or in Canada statefarm.ca.

Teens Are Conflicted; State Farm Survey Shows 70% of New Drivers Are Nervous About Being in a Crash or Hurting Someone, Yet 57% Say They Text While Driving

Bloomington, IL. — Oct. 18, 2010 — Newly analyzed State Farm® claims data shows the trend continues — October remains the most dangerous month of the year for teen driver crashes. According to claims data spanning the last seven years, the highest number of injury or collision claims filed by 16- and 17-year old drivers continues to hit a high point in October, spiking by about 15 percent when compared to other months of the year.

State Farm evaluated its extensive claims database from 2003 — 2009, and in every year, October continues to register the most claims across the United States and portions of Canada. At a state level, about 1 in 4 states show October as the most dangerous month of the year for teen crashes. About 70 percent of states show October as being among its top three months for teen accident claims.

In Wisconsin, 9.9 percent of teen car crashes occur in October.

"Car crashes remain the number one killer of teens and October continues to be our single biggest battleground month,” said Laurette Stiles, Vice President of Strategic Resources at State Farm. "While promoting teen driver safety requires a year-round commitment, the fall time frame is critically important. As teens return to school, attend homecoming and begin managing very busy schedules, we want them to keep safe driving practices at the top of their minds because our data shows this is one of the most dangerous times of year for teens to be on the road.”

Teens Remain Conflicted

A recent State Farm survey by Harris Interactive shows that despite concerns about getting into an accident, most teen drivers still lack awareness about the true ramifications of dangerous driving practices. In the survey, of 14- to 17 year olds who intend to have or already have a driver's license, 70 percent of teen drivers admitted to being nervous about being in a crash or hurting someone. But despite these concerns, 57 percent of teens admit to reading or sending text messages while driving.

When we asked teens why their peers text while driving even though they know it is dangerous, the general response is that staying connected is more important than ever to Generation Y. "Kids my age want to stay in touch,” said 17-year-old Danish Hasan of Algonquin, IL. "We like instant communication, and many kids worry what their friends will think if they don't answer text messages immediately.” Danish nearly drove onto a sidewalk while sending a short text message, recovering control of the vehicle just in time to avoid hitting several pedestrians. Danish said this close-call taught him a lesson about how quickly one can become distracted, and now he's an advocate for putting the phone away while driving.

Parents can play a major role in closing the awareness gap with their teens. According to the survey, those teens whose parents frequently talked with them about safe driving practices have the clearest understanding of what represents risky driving behavior.

National Teen Driver Safety Week

Given the prevalence of teen car crashes in October, beginning in 2007, State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia worked with Congress to designate the third week of October as National Teen Driver Safety Week. Having a dedicated week provides a unique opportunity to focus attention on this national problem. The week serves as a time set aside for parents, teens, educators and legislators to shine a spotlight on teen driver safety and ramp up conversations about solutions for the high rate of car crashes involving teens. Across the country this week, hundreds of State Farm agents and employees will be participating in teen driver safety activities in their local communities.

State Farm and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have produced a social media announcement (SMA), "Not Now, I'm Driving,” to help spread the world about teen driver safety and the importance of refraining from texting while driving. For more information about teen driver safety and National Teen Driver Safety Week, please go to teendriving.statefarm.com.

About the Survey

For this State Farm survey, Harris Interactive conducted the survey within the United States on July 22-26, 2010 among 697 U.S. 14- to 17-year-olds, including 694 who intend to have or already have a driver's license. Figures for age, sex, geographic region, and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. The margin of error is +/- 3.7 percent.

Contact

Ann Avery, State Farm, (402) 327-4551.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 68,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

Glenwood City September 8, 2010 — The West Central Community Action Agency (West CAP) provides needed services to area residents, including homeownership counseling. State Farm® is proud to support the agency's efforts with a $5,000 grant.

State Farm Agent Jackie Hunt presented the check to Program Director Greg Quinn on Friday, Aug. 20th. The grant will go toward West CAP's homeownership program, which helps families better understand the connection between establishing a strong credit reputation and building a strong financial foundation so they may embark on successful long-term homeownership.

"State Farm believes in building strong neighborhoods,” explained Elizabeth Tharp, Vice President of Agency for Wisconsin. "When we support programs like West CAP provides, we not only help families achieve their dreams of homeownership, we also assist them in building wealth.”

West CAP offers regular homebuyer education workshops and lists dates and locations for these events at westcap.org. During these sessions, participants learn more about the home buying process, as well as what steps individuals need to take to own their first home. In addition, one-on-one counseling is available for families that have a need.

"One of the key strategies to moving families out of poverty is to provide opportunities to build assets,” said Peter H. Kilde, West CAP Executive Director. "Our homebuyer education workshops not only prepare families for the initial purchase of a home, but also teach financial literacy, including avoidance of predatory lending schemes that would jeopardize their housing.”

For more information or to pre-register for homebuyer education workshops, call 1-800-606-9227.

Contact

Kelly Savage, Public Affairs, at (262) 798-7562.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 68,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

About West CAP

West CAP, a 501c3 non-profit established in 1965, is one of the first community action agencies in the United States. Located in Glenwood City, Wisconsin, West CAP works to promote the sustainability of low-income families and communities in west central Wisconsin.

Local winner earns $18,000 donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and trip to 2010 MLB World Series

Madison, Wis., (August 31, 2010) — State Farm® and Major League Baseball® (MLB) today announced that Heidi Marzen of Madison, Wis. was selected as the fourth weekly winner in the State Farm "GO TO BAT” program — an online initiative driven by State Farm's commitment to being there for the community and supporting those that are making a difference for life's big moments.

As a winner, Marzen's selected charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, received a $100 donation for each of the 180 home runs hit in MLB games during the week of August 9 - August 15 — totaling $18,000. In addition, Marzen will be awarded a trip for two to the 2010 MLB World Series where State Farm will award a $25,000 donation to the charity that received the most overall support throughout the course of the promotion.

"State Farm is so proud to see people like Ms. Marzen getting involved and giving back to the community,” said State Farm's Wisconsin Vice President of Agency, Elizabeth Tharp. "Heidi's initiative to participate in the GO TO BAT program has earned a significant donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and we encourage others to participate and make a difference for an organization that's important to them.”

Baseball fans can still enter to go to bat for their favorite causes by visiting www.statefarm.com/gotobat and selecting one of the charities on the website that means the most to them. The "GO TO BAT” program concludes on September 26.

Fans can increase both their chances and their charity's chances of winning by playing the online State Farm Home Run Derby game. Each virtual home run hit during game play is equal to another entry for the entrant and their charity. Fans can step up to the plate and go to bat to earn additional entries every day by playing the online game. They can also share their results on Facebook and challenge their friends to go to bat for something that is important to them.

For more information on the "GO TO BAT” program, visit www.statefarm.com/gotobat.

Contact

Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551 or Matt Kelly, Public Affairs, (309) 766-6914.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

About Major League Baseball Properties

The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club's agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rights holders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure®, we have invested more than $1.5 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

Deadline for applications is Sept. 10, 2010

Lincoln, NE, Aug 11, 2010 — State Farm Youth Advisory Board is seeking Board Members to serve through 2011.

"Being on the State Farm Youth Advisory Board has allowed me to share my passion for service-learning with other highly motivated young people, and helped develop me as an individual,” said Armand Ontiveros, a current Board member. "It's enlightening to see a corporation that realizes the power youth can bring in creating long-lasting change.”

The State Farm Youth Advisory Board is comprised of 30 young adults ages 17-20 from communities across the country and Canada. The Board's mission is to oversee a $5 million signature service-learning initiative to address pressing issues that have a direct impact on communities. Youth Advisory Board members are responsible for identifying these issues, overseeing the site selections and grant making process, providing technical assistance to the site grantees, and assisting with communication and outreach.

"State Farm has long believed that for communities to thrive, young people must be empowered as leaders and decision-makers to address real issues. We're excited to engage youth in our work and to have them help us develop meaningful service-learning programs in communities across the United States and Canada,” said Kathy Payne, Senior Director of Education Leadership.

The application deadline is Sept. 10. Selected applicants will be notified by November. Information and applications are available at: www.statefarmyab.com.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

State Farm Donates $5,000 to the Red Cross

Milwaukee, WI, Aug. 10, 2010 — Thanks to a $5,000 State Farm donation to the American Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin, neighborhoods ravaged by recent flooding are safe and clean again. 

More than 3,000 clean-up kits were distributed directly to families in need by the American Red Cross.  Kits are packed with a variety of essential items, including brooms, a mop, squeegee, rubber and work gloves, bleach and pine cleaner.

"State Farm is committed to helping people recover from unexpected events that can happen without warning,” said Elizabeth Tharp, Vice President of Agency for Wisconsin. "By supporting the Red Cross and providing these flood clean-up kits to the community, we are able to help Milwaukee-area residents affected by the recent flooding recover as quickly as possible.”

The kits provide some of the essentials homeowners need to clean and disinfect items in their homes that came into contact with floodwater and to prevent mold from developing.

"We are so thankful to State Farm Insurance, a long-time and generous community partner, for helping Red Cross volunteers provide the basic needs that those affected by the floods needed to clean up and be safe," said Red Cross Regional CEO Patty Flowers. 

Contact

Kelly Savage, Public Affairs, at (262) 798-7562.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®. 

MADISON, WI, June 10, 2010 State Farm Insurance Company recently donated $4,000 to 100 Black Men of America, Inc. for the 100's signature Dollars & $ense Investment Education Program. State Farm held a check presentation at LaFollette High School on June 8, 2010.

 "At State Farm, we understand the importance of the work implemented by organizations like 100 Black Men of America”, said Elizabeth Tharp, State Farm Vice-President-Agency in Wisconsin. "We genuinely care about supporting philanthropic programs and initiatives. 100 Black Men has done and continues to do great work, and we are truly honored to be a part of it.”

The 100, in collaboration with State Farm, created a national program to address and eradicate financial illiteracy among youth of color.  The Dollars and $ense Investment Education Program is a financial literacy program sponsored by State Farm and authored by the National Association of Investors Corporation.  The program was designed to provide high school students, grades 9 through 12, with the opportunity to learn and apply "best practice” strategies for saving and investing.  The goal of this program is to help students understand basic savings/investment principles and to apply these standards in their day-to-day lives. 

”The Madison Chapter of One Hundred Black Men is very appreciative of this grant from State Farm,” said Wayne Canty, President of the 100 Black Men's Madison Chapter. "The Dollars and $ense program was delivered to twenty Madison LaFollette High School students over the course of seven weeks. In addition, the grant will enable us to send four students to compete in the National Dollars and $ense Competition in conjunction with the 100 Black Men's Annual Convention”, Canty continued.

Each year during the 100's annual conference, 100 mentees from various chapters participate in the Dollars and $ense Competition. Teams present "mock” financial portfolios to judges who evaluate their understanding of investment concepts, strategies and products. Winning teams will be awarded college scholarships in the amount of $3,000 for 1st Place and $1,000 for 2nd Place. All participants will receive book bags, day planners and various school supplies. 

The 24th 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Annual Conference will take place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, June 16-20, 2010. For more information about 100 Black Men of America or the upcoming conference, visit www.100blackmen.org.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About 100 Black Men of America, Inc.

100 Black Men was founded as an organization in New York City in 1963. The national organization, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. began with nine chapters in 1986 as a national alliance of leading African American men of business, public affairs and government with a mission to improve the quality of life for African Americans, particularly African American youth. Today, under the direction of Albert E. Dotson, Jr., the organization has 116 chapters in the United States, England and the Caribbean. The 100 serves as an international coalition focused on creating educational opportunities, promoting economic empowerment, addressing health disparities and creating positive mentoring relationships.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®. 

Wisconsin, July 13, 2010 — A high-mileage bio-diesel powered vehicle with a drive system similar to a locomotive sounds like something a bio-chemist would design. But in fact, Appleton high school students created this vehicle. It earned them a national title and an extra $3,000.This project was one of 12 chosen to compete in the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo., June 20-25 through State Farm's Innovation in Sustainability grant program.

The students from Appleton East High School use a two-cylinder diesel engine to power a generator, which in turn maintains the battery charge to power an electric motor, which drives the car. This project was a joint effort involving various classroom subjects. The purpose of the State Farm Innovation in Sustainability Grant Award is to stimulate student awareness and interest in their environment, and provide them with a voice to make a significant impact in their community.

SkillsUSA, a national nonprofit devoted to ensuring America has a skilled workforce, is committed to developing its members into successful leaders in their communities. This goes hand in hand with State Farm's commitment to empower youth and give all children access to a quality education.

Sustainability service projects create a connection between classroom instruction and hands-on experiences, representing real-life situations.

State Farm is very proud to support schools involved in SkillsUSA. This new grant program gives students the opportunity to work as a team to make decisions through problem-solving activities, explore and demonstrate leadership skills and simply be a part of something bigger than anything they thought possible.

Visit www.skillsusa.org to see all the winning schools.

Contact

Kelly Savage, Public Affairs, at (262) 798-7562.

About State Farm

State Farm® insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm® Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®. 

Silver City Townhomes Construction Kick-off Planned for May 21

Milwaukee, WI, May 20, 2010 — State Farm today announced support for the Silver City Townhomes, a community development project at 35th and Pierce streets in Milwaukee. The Layton Boulevard West Neighbors (LBWN) is spearheading the project, which will create 20 rent-to-own townhomes on a vacant and underutilized parking lot. In addition, the Silver City development will include the relocation of the sports court. Basketball hoops and a tennis court will be available for use by the neighborhood and Silver City residents.

State Farm will provide an equity contribution to LBWN generated from the sale of low-income housing tax credits. State Farm will purchase the tax credits, which will provide equity to the Silver City Townhomes project of about $4.3 million.

Construction kick-off ceremonies will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 21, at Arlington Heights Park, 3429 W. Pierce St. Neighbors, local business people and community leaders will join representatives from LBWN and State Farm to celebrate the new construction.

"This project complements State Farm's efforts to be environmentally responsible, to support strong neighborhoods and to assist families in their pursuit of homeownership,” said Elizabeth Tharp, Vice President of Agency. "State Farm has supported LBWN's efforts in the Silver City business district for several years and we are proud to help make the Silver City Townhomes vision become a reality.”

LBWN's partner on this $5.2 million project is Wisconsin Redevelopment Inc., a local development company that has extensive experience in tax credit and affordable workforce housing creation.

"This development will inject new vitality into the Silver City neighborhood, where there is already a lot of momentum occurring,” said LBWN Executive Director, Charlotte John-Gomez. "Located near Miller Park, the Hank Aaron State Trail, the newly renovated Menomonee Valley, and the Silver City Main Street, families residing in these homes will take advantage of the many amenities available here and become integral stakeholders in this community.”

The Silver City Townhomes plan incorporates the existing basketball and tennis courts, which will be renovated and remain open to the public. The project will make use of sustainable and high-performance green building elements, including landscaping and construction features. The rent-to-own units will be made available to families earning 60 percent or less of the area median income.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®. 

About Layton Boulevard West Neighbors

The Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, Inc. (LBWN) is an innovative community development organization working to stabilize and revitalize one of Milwaukee's most diverse and dense south side neighborhoods. The School Sisters of St. Francis established LBWN in 1995 to build a healthy neighborhood in the area surrounding their international headquarters.  Since its inception, LBWN has leveraged more than $17 million in neighborhood, housing, and business improvements.  Most recently LBWN is the recipient of the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Innovation and Development (MANDI).  LBWN has become a model community development organization, providing technical assistance to other emerging neighborhood organizations.

Grant Supports Community Redevelopment Programming

Milwaukee, WI, April 13, 2010 — State Farm Insurance is pleased to announce a $325,000 grant to LISC Milwaukee, a leading expert in achieving long-term neighborhood revitalization. LISC is known for mobilizing residents and optimizing resources to produce sustainable urban communities.  State Farm's grant will support Main Street Milwaukee, community safety and education programming, as well as provide continued support for the organization's annual MANDI awards for neighborhood development.

"With thousands of agents across North America, State Farm has a major stake in building stronger, safer, better educated communities,” said Elizabeth Tharp, State Farm's Vice President of Agency for Wisconsin. "By working with organizations such as LISC that share State Farm's concern for healthy neighborhoods, we are able to focus on a comprehensive approach and drive results. After all, good places to live also are good places to work and do business.”

The State Farm grant will support:

• Main Street Milwaukee — a multi-year revitalization program delivering technical and financial resources to encourage economic development in six of the city's older commercial districts.
• Community safety — a community safety liaison will work with residents, law enforcement and other community partners to develop and execute public safety strategies in the Washington Park and Harambee neighborhoods.
• Education programming — renewed funding to continue service-learning programs offered through the Urban Ecology Center connecting students and schools with outdoor learning and restoration of the Washington Park urban green space.
• Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDI) — State Farm has been a sponsor of LICS's MANDI Awards since 2002. The "State Farm Building Blocks Award” honors real estate developments that promote the social and cultural life of their community, demonstrate high sensitivity to the surrounding neighborhood and have unique physical and social characteristics.

Leo Ries, Executive Director for LISC, commented that "State Farm is a long-time supporter of LISC that understands the challenges facing our urban neighborhoods. We appreciate State Farm's support for the Milwaukee community.”

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®. 

Donation supports programs in schools and hospitals in six states

Milwaukee, Wis., March 16, 2010 — Ensuring graduation for all Milwaukee-area youth will be the focus of a summit planned for Friday, March 19, 2010, at Manpower Headquarters in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Graduation Project will provide opportunities to learn about the dropout crisis, listen to community stakeholders, share ideas and develop a community action plan.

Participants will hear from local high school students who will provide insight into their world and share their own stories about why they remained in or dropped out of school. The program also will highlight Milwaukee programs that are getting results and explore how those efforts can be expanded.

The luncheon keynote speaker will be Bob Wise, President of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. He is author of the book "Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation” and chair of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Under Governor Wise's leadership, the Alliance continues to build its reputation as a respected authority on high school policy by advocating for reform in America's secondary education system and working to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college, careers, and to be contributing members of society.

With the support of State Farm Insurance, the Alliance has developed an economic model that calculates the potential economic benefits to the largest metropolitan areas — including Milwaukee — if they were to improve their high school graduation rates. The study, "The Economic Benefits from Halving the Dropout Rate: A Boom to Business in the Nation's Largest Metropolitan Areas,” measures on a city-by-city basis the growth in jobs, home ownership, levels of spending and investment and car sales that will result from cutting the high school dropout rate in half.

"We all benefit when we work together — educators, the business and nonprofit communities, parents and students — to increase graduation rates and make sure our students are prepared for college and a successful life,” says Mike Langyel, President of the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA).  "As educators, we're pleased to have the commitment of these community stakeholders to develop an action plan that will provide the supports our students need to succeed — both inside and outside of school.”

The MTEA is convening the summit at the request of major sponsor America's Promise Alliance, the largest alliance dedicated to the support and development of children, to ensure the personal and educational success of America's youth. Founded in 1997 with General Colin Powell as Chairman and chaired today by Alma Powell, America's Promise Alliance is a cross-sector partnership of more than 300 corporations, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and advocacy groups that are passionate about improving lives and changing outcomes for children. State Farm is the Alliance's leading sponsor for summits in each state to address the dropout crisis.

Other partners in the Milwaukee Graduation Project are  the Wisconsin Education Association Council, Manpower, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Milwaukee Public Schools, as well as State Farm Insurance.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Kelly Savage, Public Affairs, at (262) 798-7562.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — almost 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

Donation supports programs in schools and hospitals in six states

Lincoln, NE, March 15, 2010 — State Farm Insurance has donated $50,000 to support the American Heart Association's Jump Rope for Heart and Get With The Guidelines programs in communities across State Farm's six-state Heartland Zone. The Zone includes Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"These American Heart Association wellness programs are an excellent fit with State Farm's mission to help people manage the risks of everyday life,” said Louise Perrin, Senior Vice President for the Heartland Zone. "We are proud to make this donation in keeping with State Farm's longstanding commitment to building stronger, safer and better educated communities.”

Jump Rope for Heart is a partnership with local schools to increase heart health, build citizenship and encourage community service. Schools perform service-learning projects to raise money for the American Heart Association, and, based on the amount they raise, they also earn certificates to buy physical education equipment for their schools and individual prizes for students. Teachers also receive lesson plans on educating youth about the importance of being active and working towards a healthy heart.

Last year, almost 3,000 schools held events in the Heartland Zone's six states. Unfortunately, 250 of those schools were just $225 or less short of qualifying for certificates and prizes. In 2010, State Farm will make up the difference for schools that need another $225 or less to meet the qualifying target.

Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association's premier hospital-based quality improvement program. It empowers healthcare provider teams to consistently treat heart and stroke patients according to the most up-to-date guidelines. The program takes advantage of the "teachable moment” prior to the patient being discharged, with the goal of reducing hospital readmissions and recurrent cardiac and stroke events.

State Farm's contribution will support quality improvement consultation and continuing education in the form of regional workshops and webinars for participating GWTG hospitals in select cities. In communities with hospitals that do not currently participate in the program, State Farm funds will be offered to cover the cost of modules in those hospitals to encourage their involvement. These hospitals will also receive individualized staff consultation and professional education opportunities.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®..

About the American Heart Association

Founded in 1924, we're the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.  To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases — America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers — we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health.  To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

State Farm® Youth Advisory Board grants $47,613

Fond du Lac, Wis., Feb. 18, 2010 — The State Farm Youth Advisory Board announced that Fond du Lac High School will receive a $47,613 service-learning grant for a prairie restoration project. The project involves Environmental Science students researching, designing and seeding a prairie restoration on six acres of school property that have become unsightly and plagued by erosion problems.

The school is one of 82 community organizations to receive a service-learning, youth-led grant across the United States and Canada. More than 1,100 grant requests were received by the Board.

On Friday, February 19, 2010, State Farm will present the grant to the school as part of the school's Proclamation Acceptance Ceremony recognizing the Fond du Lac High School's 150th anniversary celebration.

"Fond du Lac's project is an exciting opportunity to improve the area around the school in a unique and environmentally responsible way,” said YAB Member Neil Jackson of Gleason, WI. "The project is even better because local elementary students have a chance to help and to learn.”

The students will transform the restoration site into a community outdoor education area with trails, interpretive signs and benches that can be used by high school students, students from nearby Lakeshore Elementary and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, the high school students will involve Lakeshore Elementary students in the planting process and teach them about restoration.

"The State Farm grant allows our students to be involved in a meaningful, hands-on, service-learning experience,” said Margie Winter, science teacher and project coordinator. "The restoration project will provide students an opportunity to learn leadership skills, study ecological systems in action and learn how to restore natural landscapes. The resulting ‘outdoor classroom' will be a wonderful asset to FHS, Lakeshore Elementary and the community for many years to come.”

"State Farm supports service-learning because it combines service to the community with classroom curriculum in a hands-on approach to mastering subject material while fostering civic responsibility,” said Elizabeth Tharp, State Farm's Vice President of Agency in Wisconsin.  "The State Farm Youth Advisory Board is a prime example of State Farm's commitment to education, our community and our youth.”

Visit www.statefarmyab.com for more information about the different projects being funded and about the Youth Advisory Board.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Ann Avery, Public Affairs, at (402) 327-4551.

About the Youth Advisory Board

The State Farm Youth Advisory Board is a diverse group of 30 youth, ages 17-20, who were chosen through a competitive process to lead and oversee this $5 million/year signature service-learning initiative. The Youth Board identified the issues, issued competitive grants and will now provide technical assistance, communication and oversight to site grantees.

About State Farm®

State Farm, founded in 1922, insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada.  State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts — more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts.  State Farm also offers customers banking, annuities and mutual funds products.  State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies.  State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies.  For more information, please visit statefarm.com or in Canada statefarm.ca.

January 11, 2010, Bloomington, Illinois - State Farm® Insurance Companies has announced that La Follette High School is one of 25 Zone winners from around the country in the second half of Friday Night Feats, a national video contest on YouTube highlighting the biggest moments from this year's high school football season. La Follette High School was awarded $2,500 for the video highlighting a play from the 2009 football season.

State Farm will present La Follette's check during halftime of its basketball game Tuesday evening, Jan. 12. The game is at the high school, 702 Pflaum Rd.

"The second half of the Friday Night Feats video contest saw as many big moments as the first half,” said Anthony Munoz, NFL Hall of Fame lineman. "Like State Farm, every player and every fan was there for their team in the stretch run of the season and into the playoffs.”

The videos, submitted by fans, athletes and coaches, each won $2,500.  Zone winners were determined by fan votes on YouTube during the second half of the contest from Oct. 18 through Nov. 22. First half Zone winners were submitted between Sept. 14 and Oct. 17.

For more information and contest rules, visit FridayNightFeats.com.  To view all of the Zone winners, go to www.youtube.com/fridaynightfeats.

Contact

For questions or more information, contact Rich Pingeton, Public Affairs, at (309) 766-8866.

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 78.7 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.