NAIFA Steps Up Again To Assist
Gulf Coast Disaster Victims
Relief Fund Created to Get Agents and Advisors Back on Their Feet
Contact
Lee Allen
Vice President of Communications and Marketing
703-770-8112
October 24, 2005 – The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is once again stepping forward to assist victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This time, the nation's largest member association of financial services professionals has created a charitable fund to get agents and advisors back on their feet at a time when they are needed most.
NAIFA announced today that it has created the NAIFA Disaster Relief Fund. The fund, through donations from NAIFA members and employees, will provide financial support to individual insurance agents and financial advisors in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who have been significantly affected by the 2005 hurricanes. The support will cover both business and personal losses but will focus on losses due to the interruption of business and physical losses not traditionally insurable.
"There have been numerous requests from NAIFA members across the country who have wanted to help their own in the affected areas so they can do their jobs to help others. A fund such as this gives us the opportunity to respond to these requests," said David E. Smithkey, CLU, RFC, NAIFA's president. "There are thousands upon thousands of people who need advice, service and products to meet their financial security needs. They need agents and advisors who are equipped to deliver those needs."
The creation of the fund follows NAIFA's participation in an industry-wide effort to raise funds to assist the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity in relief efforts. NAIFA also established an online clearinghouse allowing NAIFA members to offer assistance such as room and office space to NAIFA members victimized by Hurricane Katrina.
To qualify for grants from the NAIFA Disaster Relief Fund, recipients must be individuals who are active in the insurance profession with a resident life insurance license in one of the three affected states. A grant application must be completed to determine eligibility.
The NAIFA Disaster Relief Fund has been created with assistance from the Community Foundation of Acadiana, based in Lafayette, LA., which is administering the fund.
Checks made out to the fund should be made payable to "The Community Foundation of Acadiana" with "NAIFA Disaster Relief Fund" included on the memo line. Mail checks to Community Foundation of Acadiana, P.O. Box 3892, Lafayette, LA 70502. To pay by credit card or for more information on payment options, call (337) 266-2145 or visit www.cfacadiana.org. For questions about the fund, contact Shannon Kuetemeyer at NAIFA-Louisiana, (225) 293-5258.
About NAIFA: Founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors comprises 800 state and local associations representing the business interests of 225,000 members and their employees nationwide. Members focus their practices on one or more of the following: life insurance and annuities, health insurance and employee benefits, multiline, and financial advising and investments. NAIFA's mission is to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of its members. NAIFA's website can be accessed at www.naifa.org.