COUNTRY Financial awards nearly $300,000 in grants
for financial literacy programs

Most recent grants bring program’s total to $775,000                                                                                        

Feb. 18, 2014, Bloomington, IL— COUNTRY Financial^® has awarded nearly $300,000 in grants through its Count on COUNTRY Financial community grant program. Funds were awarded to fifteen organizations across Chicago, Atlanta, Portland and Minneapolis.

The grant program awards organizations that provide educational opportunities and resources to help single parents and their children achieve financial security. Since 2008, COUNTRY Financial has awarded nearly $775,000 to nonprofit organizations with programs that are improving the financial security of families. This was the first year the program expanded to include deserving nonprofits in Atlanta and Portland.

“We believe strong families lead to strong communities. By helping single-parent households achieve financial security, we’re contributing to the overall strength and success of the community in which they live,” said Tim Harris, COUNTRY Financial agency field executive. “Our goal at COUNTRY is to make sure that all families, along with the neighborhoods they reside in, have a financially-secure future.”

This year’s grant recipients include:

Portland: Financial Beginnings

Chicago: Fathers for the Future, Heartland Human Care Services, Instituto del Progreso Latino, Jane Addams Resource Corporation, North Lawndale Employment Network, Northwest Side Housing Center, Spanish Coalition for Housing

St. Paul/Minneapolis: The Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, EMERGE Community Development, Jeremiah Program

Atlanta: 100 Black Men of Atlanta, HomeStretch Transitional Housing Program, Urban Asset Builders/The Community Foundation for Financial Literacy, Warrick Dunn Charities 

“We believe providing financial literacy programs and resources to single-parent households is a crucial part of building a strong community,” said Melody Bell, executive director of Financial Beginnings, a 2013 grant recipient. “The generous contribution from COUNTRY will help support our financial education programs, which includes hands-on workshops and the opportunity to be paired with a financial mentor.”

A recent COUNTRY Financial Security Index found nearly 82 percent of single parents have had to cut back on spending to make ends meet due to the overall state of the economy. This reinforces the need for a grant program, such as the Count on COUNTRY Financial grant program, that is geared specifically to supporting nonprofit organizations that help single parents and their children achieve financial security.

Following is an overview of the Portland program that will be supported by funding from the Count on COUNTRY grant program.

2013 Portland Grant Recipient

Financial Beginnings

This organization provides free, unbiased financial education to youth and adults in the Portland and surrounding communities. Financial Beginnings offers Financial Foundations program with hands-on workshops and the opportunity to be paired with a Financial Mentor, to provide additional personal finance assistance.

For a complete overview of the grant recipients, please visit www.countoncountryfinancial.com.

About COUNTRY Financial

COUNTRY Financial® (www.countryfinancial.com) serves about one million households and businesses throughout the United States. It offers a full range of financial products and services from auto, home and life insurance to retirement planning services, investment management and annuities.