The Allstate Foundation Awards $57,500 to Junior Achievement of Central Maryland

Owings Mills, MD — Junior Achievement of Central Maryland (JACMD) announced it has received $57,500 in funding from The Allstate Foundation to support JA students during the 2016-2017 school year. The Allstate Foundation’s gift will directly benefit JA BizTown® and JA Finance Park Virtual® capstone programs for elementary and middle school students, as well as the JA Leading Ladies program to support their focus on youth empowerment initiatives.

The Allstate Foundation presented this grant in coordination with their Good Starts Young™ initiative to inspire 20,000 students to have the tools and resources to build character, confidence and optimism, achieve academic success, gain leadership skills and become more engaged citizens. These ideas also drive work readiness and financial management skills.

$39,000 from the grant supports Allstate’s shop in JA BizTown, based at JACMD’s Owings Mills headquarters. Elementary students attend the site-based, day-long JA BizTown experience after completing a minimum of 12 classroom lessons. At the interactive, simulated town facility, students connect what they learn in school with realworld experiences. In the Allstate agency, students assist customers and educate other JA BizTown businesses about the importance of insurance. The Allstate agency also issues JA BizTown driver’s licenses to the young citizens after passing a safe driving test. These students learn that having a good driving record leads to reduced insurance costs. The ultimate goal of the Allstate agency is to show students that safe driving habits can lead to a long and healthy life.

“The Allstate Foundation is a proud supporter of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland,” stated Kyla O’Brien, The Allstate Foundation spokesperson. “We believe that Good Starts Young. It’s up to all of us to inspire the next generation of Maryland leaders and history makers to help create a promising future powered by service. JA is the perfect partner, as their programs promote financial literacy and responsibility in our youth. Programs such as JA BizTown, JA Finance Park and JA Leading Ladies provide opportunities to promote youth empowerment by enabling students to give back to their local communities.”

A portion of the grant, $15,000, will directly support JA Finance Park Virtual®. This program teaches middle school students the importance of financial skills and concepts to create a balanced household monthly budget. Topics include credit and debt, saving and investing, taxes, career and income, and budgeting. Following 13 teacher-led sessions, the program culminates in an online personal finance simulation where students apply learned concepts in a life-like “virtual” community.

Additionally, The Allstate Foundation committed $3,500 as a sponsor of the JA Leading Ladies event. This unique event connects female high school students and professional women in the Baltimore area to celebrate successes, develop talents, and inspire the next generation of women leaders.

“The Allstate Foundation’s continued investment in JA BizTown, JA Finance Park Virtual, and JA Leading Ladies, shows their commitment to empowering young people in Central Maryland for success,” said Jennifer Bodensiek, JACMD President and CEO. “Their dedication to educational excellence enables our organization to support students to connect classroom learning to the real world, and fosters a path toward college and fruitful, rewarding careers.”

About The Allstate Foundation

Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people's well-being and prosperity. With a focus on building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, empowering youth and celebrating the charitable community involvement of Allstate agency owners and employees, The Allstate Foundation works to bring out the good in people’s lives. For more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.

About Junior Achievement of Central Maryland

Junior Achievement of Central Maryland is dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JACMD provides in-school and after-school programs for more than 43,000 K-12 students which focus on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. For more information, visit www.jamaryland.org.