LISC applauds the State Farm® commitment to build healthier communities
PHILADELPHIA, PA, February 21, 2012 -A State Farm $4 million grant for 2012-2013 will fund Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) programs and projects in nine communities, focusing on local business development, jobs, education and safety. This includes the city of Philadelphia.
“State Farm is helping drive significant, lasting quality-of-life changes for people and places that would otherwise be struggling to find options,” said Michael Rubinger, President and CEO of LISC. “In this economic climate, that help is invaluable.”
The two-year grant from State Farm will fund programs and projects in Philadelphia as well as Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Thousands of families all across the country face very real economic challenges,” says Mary Crego, Senior Vice President at State Farm. “It is why we remain committed to this work which helps to build safer, stronger and better educated neighborhoods.”
In Philadelphia, State Farm funding will advance LISC’s family income and wealth building programs. This includes continued support of a healthcare apprenticeship program that combines on-the-job training with education from the Community College of Philadelphia, and the opening of Financial Opportunity Centers in West Philadelphia and Eastern North Philadelphia. This programming leverages partnerships with a number of community development corporations engaged in the Sustainable Communities Initiatives including University City District and Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha.
The new State Farm grant will also support a wide range of programs across the country, including:
In fact, these kinds of core local issues are all interrelated, Rubinger said. “You can’t disconnect one from the other—they all underpin safe, strong, healthy neighborhoods where families can thrive, businesses can grow, and kids can learn and play. Stronger communities create opportunity. They bolster regional economies and support our broader national economic recovery. State Farm is helping drive and sustain that work.”
Dave Phillips, Media Inquiries, (610) 358-7667.
About LISC
LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised $11.1 billion to build or rehab 277,000 affordable homes and develop 44 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide. LISC support has leveraged nearly $33.9 billion in total development activity. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.
About State Farm®:
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 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. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca..
