Like a good neighbor, State Farm was there for Junior Achievement and its programs in Weld and Larimer counties in the springtime when schools began to close. The company contributed $15,000 to JA, providing relief as all programs suddenly had to be adapted for virtual learning, and allowing JA to keep programs free and accessible for schools and families.

“State Farm’s support made a huge impact in our ability to provide our teachers with much needed educational content for students when schools closed in the spring, as well as develop new virtual content for this fall,” says Elizabeth Winn, District Director for JA in Northern Colorado and Wyoming. “The truth is that the grant is still making an impact and will continue to do so through 2020.”

Including their $15,000 grant, State Farm’s support of JA programs in Weld and Larimer counties total $190,000 since 1996. But it’s not just their financial support that has benefitted classrooms. State Farm employees have also volunteered with JA in classrooms for two decades. Even though JA programs are currently virtual, that won’t stop State Farm employees from volunteering this year. JA plans to work with them on creating pre-recorded volunteer content for local classrooms.

“Students still need these critical financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurial lessons JA provides, and as they see so many people’s lives disrupted, they need adults to root for them, show them they can succeed, and motivate them for their future,” says State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst Tamara Pachl. “Even though we can’t be there in person with students, we at State Farm are excited to support our community’s classrooms in this new and innovative way.”