[April 01, 2015]

Five Local Nonprofits Benefit from $100,000 Allianz Life Donation

Employees of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life®) voted to have the company donate $100,000 to five local charities. The donation will be divided among the nonprofits to support their missions and local community efforts. The Allianz Life Employee-Elected Charities program gives employees direct say in the company's corporate giving strategy and has given more than $1 million since it began more than 10 years ago.

Organizations receiving 2015 awards are: American Cancer Society, Animal Humane Society, Feed My Starving Children, HopeKids and Make a Wish® Foundation Minnesota. In addition to the donation, Allianz Life employee groups will participate in volunteer events with each organization throughout the year.

"Allianz Life is a stronger organization because we support local nonprofits based on direct employee input," said Allianz Life President and CEO Walter White. "By asking for employee input, we create stronger bonds between our employees and the nonprofits we support in our community. I look forward to seeing our donations and volunteers help each charity create a brighter future for those in need."

To be nominated as an Employee-Elected charity, 10 or more Allianz Life employees must have volunteered for the charity during the previous year. Nominees participate in a charity fair at Allianz Life headquarters where employees can learn about their missions and volunteer opportunities. Employees are then given the opportunity to vote for the charities they would like the company to support.

A Culture of Volunteerism

Allianz Life provides each employee eight hours of paid time off annually to volunteer for the nonprofit of their choice. Employee volunteerism makes a difference in local communities. In 2014, nearly 1,000 employees volunteered more than 13,000 hours in the community, the equivalent of roughly $292,500 of in-kind donations.

Supporting the Community One Mission at a Time

The American Cancer Society (ACS (News - Alert)) is dedicated to eliminating cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Its mission is to create more birthdays by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back. "This generous Allianz Life donation will help ACS continue to make major steps in the fight against cancer," said ACS Senior Director of Corporate Partners Angie Fitzgerald. "Donations help patients get early diagnoses, improve treatments and receive the support they need during their cancer journey."

The Animal Humane Society (AHS) provides programs and services to compassionately serve all stages of an animal's life. "The Allianz Life gift supports the work of AHS's Doing More for Animals initiative, which focuses on helping even the most difficult-to-place animals," said AHS Director of Development Nicole Stern. "Through expanded behavior programs, advanced medical treatments and increased foster opportunities, our animals become healthy and happy adoption candidates."

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) strives to eliminate hunger by shipping hand-packed meals specifically formulated for malnourished children in nearly 70 countries around the world. "In the developing nations we serve, all progress starts with food. With this donation, volunteers can pack more than 45,000 meals for children," said FMSC Development Advisor Judy Watke. "In addition to the donation, Allianz Life volunteers bring enthusiasm and energy, matching our vision of hearing and responding to the cries of those in need."

HopeKids organizes events and activities that restore fun, excitement, and hope for children facing debilitating health issues. "HopeKids is extremely grateful that Allianz Life employees chose us as the recipient of such a generous contribution," said HopeKids Minnesota Executive Director Brian Anderson. "We can fulfill our mission of hope by providing ongoing events, activities, and a powerful support community for families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition."

Make a Wish® Minnesota believes that a wish experience can change the life of a child with a life-threatening medical condition. "We are honored to receive this gift from Allianz Life so we can grant the wishes of children giving them hope, strength and joy," said Make a Wish Minnesota President and CEO Tom McKinney. "This contribution will help us continue supporting the 400-plus children who could qualify for the program, like David, who wished to go to Italy to see the Pantheon; and Noella, who wished for a labradoodle puppy."

Note to editors: Photos available on request.

About Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2015, has been keeping its promises since 1896. Today, it carries on that tradition, helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuities and life insurance products. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with 147,000 employees worldwide. More than 85 million private and corporate customers rely on Allianz knowledge, global reach, and capital strength to help them make the most of financial opportunities.

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