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National Life Group Foundation reveals $1.8 million in grants

Submitted by tim on

Mehran Assadi, Chairman, President and CEO of National Life, announces the doubling of the foundation’s budget alongside Vermont GovernorPhil Scott, left, and Vermont Commerce and Community Development Deputy Secretary Ted Brady. Courtesy photo.

Vermont Business MagazineTheNational Life Group Foundationgranted a record total of $1.8 million this spring to nearly 200 charitable organizations primarily in Vermont and Texas, whereNational Life Group’sroughly 1,000 employees work. Some of the money will be spent launching a dedicated focus on tackling childhood hunger in Vermont, an initiative that will continue to be a cause of the Foundation well into the future. Among the larger recipients were theChamplain Housing Trust andthe Vermont Foodbank.The vast majority of the funding is centered on central and northern Vermont and the Dallas, Texas, area where most of Vermont Life employees live and work.

The Foundation’s annual budget doubled to $2 million in 2018. A primary focus of that increase will be to define the scope of childhood hunger and then help fund solutions to it. A total of $188,500 of 2018 grants are in support of that mission and the Foundation has awarded the Urban Institute $120,000 to conduct research.

“The doubling of our Foundation budget has given us the opportunity to live our corporate values in ways we’ve never been able to before,” said Foundation President Beth Rusnock. “The nonprofits and organizations we’ve funded are already impacting the lives of many and we’re honored to support their missions. And we’re excited to expand our mission to tackle a core issue like childhood hunger.”

The National Life Foundation approved 190 grants, ranging from as little as $100 to as much as $100,000. Among the larger grants were:

  • $100,000 to Champlain Housing Trust to help fund its North End Community Center in Burlington.
  • $75,000 for the Vermont Foodbank to support its youth food programs.
  • $50,000 to the North Texas Food Bank to help fund its services in 13 North Texas counties.

The Foundation also launched its Main Street Grants program this year, awarding $70,500 to seven communities around Vermont for downtown development work. And the Foundation matched $195,000 of National Life employees’ donations to charitable organizations, totaling close to $400,000 in support to nonprofits. Additionally, the Foundation funded cash prizes totaling nearly $80,000 for winners of National Life’s LifeChanger of the Year educator recognition program.

Source:Montpelier, Vermont– TheNational Life Group Foundation6.25.2018