Kits for Kids: OneAmerica Associates Turn Auditorium into an Assembly Line

 The annual OneAmerica® sales meeting brings their Employee Benefits division’s national field staff together to Indianapolis to share best practices and strategies as it grows its disability insurance and group life insurance business. But a new tradition has emerged that’s less about data and sales techniques and more about lifting others up, one that sends a powerful message to the Indianapolis community, and that message is this: OneAmerica cares. In collaboration with the insurance company’s Employee Benefits division, United Way of Central Indiana worked with more than 100 OneAmerica employees on January 28 to build 1,100 special kits to aid children served by two United Way agencies: the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis. As a result of this volunteer activity, 400 school-supply kits and 700 snack packs were assembled less than an hour as associates temporarily turned an auditorium into an assembly line. “This is just an example of the power of community that we really strive to have here at OneAmerica employee benefits,” said Nathan Queen, a Charlotte, N.C.-based regional vice president. “Our folks at their home offices do a really good job working with their brokers to make a difference. So when we all travel to our company headquarters, we make sure we do something together to serve the city and its organizations that serve us so well.” This was the second year in a row where Employee Benefits associates joined with the United Way for a community-enhancing event. In 2018, associates built birthday-box kits for Boys & Girls Clubs. Jed DeGooyer, regional sales director, Denver, who did the birthday box build in 2018 and took part in making the school supply kit this year, called this new tradition “humbling,” and “unifying.” “Giving back to the community is one way we can show that OneAmerica is more than an insurance company and we value our relationships in the community and that we want to give back,” Jed said. Charles Ibrahim, operational excellence director at OneAmerica, says such efforts benefit nonprofits but also a company’s culture at OneAmerica. “It felt joyous to know that it helped children in our community to provide a meal and a safe place to go after school where they could enjoy themselves,” said Charles, who is also a steering committee member of Diversity Leadership Circle, United Way of Central Indiana. “Collaboration is the key to any success, whether it’s something I can do to help the community, or to help EB meet our business goals. Since compassion is at the heart of what we do, this event allowed us to live this out.” To learn more about OneAmerica and its involvement in the community and their commitment to giving back, visit their website. To become a United Way corporate partner, contact Penny Lee.