The donations Farm Bureau Insurance and its agents and employees make go a long way toward supporting charitable organizations. But money isn’t the only way we give back to our communities.

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Volunteers are at the heart of nonprofits, and that’s why Farm Bureau Insurance also gives the gifts of employees’ time and talents to help these organizations fulfill their missions.

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While Farm Bureau Insurance’s VTO program lets employees choose from short-term volunteer opportunities that are right for them, the company also makes long-term voluntary commitments of time and talent to organizations who need our employees’ professional skills.

 

One example of this is the Farm Bureau Insurance employee who lends his professional skills to the United Way of Southeastern Idaho and Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck by serving on the board of directors for both organizations.

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Coverage spoke with this employee (who wished to remain anonymous) about how he helps these organizations and how these organizations help our communities.

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HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A UNITED WAY BOARD MEMBER?
A LEADERSHIP POCATELLO-CHUBBUCK BOARD MEMBER?
I’ll finish my third year on the United Way board of directors this month.

 

I’m also in my third year on the Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck board.

 

WHAT ROLE DOES EACH ORGANZIATION PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY?
Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck is a community-based two-year Leadership Program that is part of the Chamber of Commerce. The program combines a leadership curriculum with real-world experiences.

 

Class members meet once a month where they spend half the day learning leadership skills and the second half visiting local businesses and hearing from guest speakers. Their goal is to strengthen the community by building strong leaders.

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I sum the United Way up as a one-stop-shop for supporting the needs of the community. The United way receives funds through grants and donations. Other community charitable organizations then go through a vetting process when they request the donated funds from United Way. This process ensures that every dollar donated goes to a worthwhile cause.  

WHAT ASPECTS OR EXPERIENCES OF EACH ROLE DO YOU FIND THE MOST REWARDING?
At each United Way board meeting, they have someone from one of the partner organizations come in and talk about how the funds they received benefited the community.

 

Watching the Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck organization grow from year to year has been very rewarding. I have seen it go from basically a networking event to a full-on leadership development program.

 

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EYE-OPENING PART OF EACH ROLE?
With the United Way, I’ve discovered there’s a lot more need in our community than I thought. Also, the sheer number of volunteers working behind the scenes to carry out various causes.

 

At Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck, it’s been how people start the program as strangers and leave as lifelong friends. I still meet up with several people from my class several years ago.

 

HOW HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS CHANGED YOU?
It has made me see the potential of our community and all the amazing people working so hard to make it even better. It makes me excited about our community’s future.

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HOW HAS FARM BUREAU INSURANCE SUPPORTED YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS? 
Farm Bureau has been very supportive of both of these organizations. Besides the donation of my time to serve on the board, Farm Bureau also does fundraisers, corporate donations, event sponsorships, and employee donations.

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For Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck, Farm Bureau Insurance has been the main sponsor of the annual Elevate Leadership Summit. Proceeds from this event fund several areas of the Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck program. We’ve also sent several employees through the program, provided space at the Home Office for meetings, and sponsored other events.

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CAN YOU GIVE US AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD, OR SOMETHING INTERESTING YOU'VE WITNESSED WHILE VOLUNTEERING FOR EACH ORGANIZATION?
Leadership Pocatello Chubbuck does a poverty simulation that shows how difficult it is to break out of the system. In the simulation, you are given a budget and a family you have to care for, but you also have to navigate several scenarios like a sick kid, your car breaking down, or the loss of a job. It showed me how important our local charities are and how sometimes no matter how hard you work, you still can't get ahead without some help.    

 

WHY DO YOU FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE / COMPANIES TO SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS?
Whether it’s helping someone advance a career through leadership skills or helping them with food in a time of need, the goal of these organizations is to help people. It's that simple.

 

The holiday season is a good time to reflect on these long-term charitable contributions because a donation of time and talent truly is a gift from the heart.

 

Thank you to everyone who has helped support a charitable cause in 2021. May this spirit of charity fill your holiday celebrations. Happy Holidays!

 

WORKS OF HEART