Jewelry Customers and the Public Aid in Historic $2 Million Donation to Nonprofits

More than 40,000 votes direct funds to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, Habitat for Humanity® and Feeding America®/Food Banks Canada

Pictured L to R: Trina Woldt, vice president, chief marketing officer and Scott Murphy, president and CEO at Jewelers Mutual presenting the $1 million donation check to Richard Shadyac Jr., president & CEO, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® (Photo: Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company)

NEENAH, Wis.--()--Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company’s $2 million donation campaign, “Band Together,” came to an end on July 31. The company, which is the leading insurer dedicated exclusively to jewelry and the jewelry industry, invited its policyholders and the general public to vote online at its website for their favorite cause.

On August 1, when the final votes were tallied, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® received the Jewelers Mutual $1 million top donation. Habitat for Humanity® will receive a donation of $700,000 followed by Feeding America®/Food Banks Canada to share $300,000.

"What an incredible and humbling honor to be voted to receive $1 million from Jewelers Mutual Insurance Band Together campaign and to be included with the remarkable work of Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America," said Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

"The support of Jewelers Mutual Insurance and everyone who voted help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food because all a family should worry about is helping the their child live."

Even with a long legacy of charitable giving both on the national and local levels, Scott Murphy president and CEO at Jewelers Mutual admitted, “We were gratified by our policyholders’ and the public’s involvement and response to our invitation to vote.”

“Jewelers Mutual heard from longtime customers, but also from those who’d never heard of us before. And everyone was excited to band together and help us provide the biggest gift in our company’s history.”

While each organization walked away as a winner, the biggest winners of the campaign are people in need of housing, food or a cure who will be helped by the additional resources given to the four nonprofits.

“Band Together reached the success it did because of the tremendous generosity of our voters to come back to vote every day and help spread the word,” added Trina Woldt, vice president, chief marketing officer at Jewelers Mutual. “And also because of the dedication of our own employees, who share the company’s passion for making the world a better place.”

About Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, the only insurer dedicated solely to serving the jewelry industry in the United States and Canada, was founded in 1913 by a group of Wisconsin jewelers to meet their unique insurance needs. Today, Jewelers Mutual remains the trusted insurance advisor and loss-prevention expert for jewelry businesses including retailers large and small, wholesalers, manufacturers, custom designers and appraisers. Consumers also put their trust in Jewelers Mutual to protect their personal jewelry and the special memories it represents. The company's strong financial position is reflected in its 29 consecutive ratings of "A+ Superior" from A.M. Best Company and more than $14 billion of jewelry coverage in force. To learn more, visit JewelersMutual.com.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).

About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity has grown from a grassroots effort that began on a community farm in southern Georgia in 1976 to a global nonprofit housing organization in nearly 1,400 communities across the U.S. and in over 70 countries. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

About Feeding America®
Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada supports a unique network of over 3,000 food-related organizations in every province and territory that assists close to 850,000 Canadians each month. Together, our network shares over 200 million pounds of essential safe quality food annually, provides social programs that help to foster self-sufficiency and advocates for policy change that will help create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca for more information.

Contacts

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
Jessica VandenHouten, 920-521-2374
Brand Communications Manager
jvandenhouten@jminsure.com

Contacts

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
Jessica VandenHouten, 920-521-2374
Brand Communications Manager
jvandenhouten@jminsure.com