Homeownership counseling, foreclosure mitigation, entrepreneurial training programs and free tax prep build equity, create jobs.
Bethlehem, PA., October 2011 - The Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley announced today that State Farm, the largest property and casualty insurance company in the country, has donated $15,000 to the agency and one of its subsidiaries to help people build equity through homeownership, protect current homeowners from foreclosure and train prospective and existing entrepreneurs to operate microenterprises that create jobs in the Lehigh Valley.
Tim Brion, a Bethlehem agent with State Farm who volunteers in Community Action’s homeownership seminars and as a Board member of the Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem, made the announcement. “State Farm is a long-time supporter of CACLV. I am proud to be part of a company that is big enough to have resources but not too big to understand the importance of economic opportunity to the health and vitality of my own community,” said Brion, who has had his State Farm agency since 2002.
Alan Jennings, Executive Director of CACLV, added, “State Farm’s investment will help first-time homebuyers navigate an especially complicated environment, protect the homeownership gains made in years past and the homeowners’ equity that comes with prolonged ownership, stabilize neighborhoods, create entrepreneurs and the businesses and jobs that are the backbone of our economy.”
Founded in 1965, the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit anti-poverty agency that serves low- to moderate-income people and their communities in the Lehigh Valley. It offers a wide range of programming with the mission of improving the quality of life by building a community in which all people have access to economic opportunity, the ability to pursue that opportunity, and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. CACLV’s programs and subsidiaries include The Rising Tide Community Loan Fund, Sixth Street Shelter and two long-term transitional housing programs, Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, West Ward Neighborhood Partnership, Energy Partnership, Community Action Development Corporation of Allentown, Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem, Work Ready, the Lehigh Valley Community Land Trust, and Community Action Financial Services. The agency’s total budget exceeds $18 million and it employs 120 people.
Tim Brion, State Farm Agent, (610)-865-9001
Alan L. Jennings, Executive Director of CACLV, (610) -691-5620
State Farm is the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.
