The Hartford Makes A Difference In Asylum Hill With $3 Million In Community Support

Published on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 12:03 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

HARTFORD, Conn.-( Business Wire )-

Since announcing its Asylum Hill Community Investment Strategy in November 2010, The Hartford has expanded its commitment to several programs to help strengthen the neighborhood. The company has invested more than $3 million in the initiative.

“The Hartford’s roots in the Asylum Hill neighborhood run deep,” said The Hartford’s Chairman, President and CEO Liam E. McGee. “This community has been our home for more than 90 years. We strive to make a lasting difference in Asylum Hill by partnering with community leaders to focus The Hartford’s resources on revitalizing neighborhoods, educating children, developing outreach programs, and encouraging our employees to volunteer their skills in the community.”

In November 2010, The Hartford announced a $7 million, five-year investment in Asylum Hill, which has been home to the company’s headquarters for more than 90 years.

The Hartford’s Asylum Hill initiative has provided the following support during its first year:

Neighborhood Revitalization

• In November, the city of Hartford announced an agreement to purchase Capitol West, which has been an eyesore and a barrier between Asylum Hill and downtown for more than 10 years. The Hartford committed $2 million to help the city purchase the building, demolish it, and improve the property.
• The Hartford’s support of the Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA) helped to restore and to renovate six blighted properties and to plant 50 trees to re-establish the canopy. More than 120 employee volunteers from The Hartford have given their time to NINA.
• In September, Habitat for Humanity broke ground on a 16-unit housing project. More than 100 employee volunteers from The Hartford are expected to help with the construction.

Education: Supporting the Children of Asylum Hill

• The Hartford’s partnership with Junior Achievement and Hartford Public Schools has reached more than 1,000 students and helped increase their financial literacy, workforce preparedness and entrepreneurial skills. Ninety percent of participating teachers said their students demonstrated increased understanding.
• As part of West Middle Elementary School’s After School Alliance, 462 students participated in the after school program, 135 students participated in the summer program and 200 employees volunteered at the school.
• In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, Connectikids and the Asylum Hill Learning Zone, The Hartford funded West Middle’s evaluation of the Community School Model. The model is designed to improve student learning, develop stronger families and build healthier communities.
• Through the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education’s Career Beginnings program, The Hartford funded the hiring of a new on-site student advisor to help the program expand from 75 to more than 200 students, and the company increased the number of employee volunteers who participate in the program.
• The Hartford supported activities for Asylum Hill students through the Connecticut Science Center’s STEM program and Achieve Hartford’s SmartChoices.

Community Support Services

• Collaborating with Co-opportunity and the United Way, The Hartford created outreach and educational programs to increase the financial stability and financial literacy of Asylum Hill residents by increasing their participation in the Financial Resource Center. To date, 56 residents have visited the center to learn about its services, 22 residents have become clients and four have signed up to become budget coaches.
• The Hartford’s partnership with the YWCA of Hartford provided funding for Sorromundi Commons, a supportive housing project for those struggling with substance, domestic or sexual abuse; homelessness; and those who have incomes at or below 50 percent of the state median. Currently, 53 residents live in supportive housing units and they have access to counseling and employment services.
• After a grant from The Hartford to The Village for Families & Children’s Center for Family Life, 119 women have received bi-weekly case management, 36 women have enrolled in the GED program and 40 families have participated in Best Families Support Group meetings.
• To benefit the Chrysalis Center, The Hartford funded the purchase of equipment and two years of operation for a commercial kitchen to train individuals for employment in the food service industry. Currently, 75 participants are enrolled in the program.

Employee Volunteerism

Each year, The Hartford hosts four employee-giving campaigns for the Foodshare Walk Against Hunger, the back-to-school Backpack Program, the United Way and Put the Hart in the Holidays gift-giving campaign.

To complement these giving campaigns in Asylum Hill and across the country, The Hartford launched its Team Hart website in February 2011 to match employees with volunteer opportunities.

To date, more than 4,000 employee volunteers have accessed Team Hart and they have logged approximately 32,000 hours of volunteer activity. More than 289 non-profit agencies have been served through the website.

About The Hartford

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) is a leading provider of insurance and wealth management services for millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. The Hartford is consistently recognized for its superior service, its sustainability efforts and as one of the world's most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com.

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Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.Julia Zweig, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.