NEW PLUS AWARD HONORS ARMED SERVICES YMCA

Rough Notes, Oct 2004 by Zinkewicz, Phil

PLUS Foundation to choose a different charitable organization each year

This year, PLUS is embarking on a new initiative called "Conference Cause 2004," under which the PLUS 1 Foundation, begun in 1998, will select a different charitable organization each year to receive special recognition at the Society's annual meeting. According to Dan Jenney, foundation associate, this year's PLUS international conference will honor the Armed Services YMCA of San Diego (ASYMCA).

"San Diego is a military community," says Jenney. "There are approximately 95,000 uniformed military personnel in the San Diego area. Their dependents and families take the total military population in the county to around 175,000-the largest military community in the country."

Jenney says that San Diego is home to seven Navy and Marine bases, and 20% of all the military men and women currently serving in Iraq come from San Diego.

"These are trying times for many service members and their families," says Jenney. "The Armed Services YMCA is a special branch of the YMCA network, solely devoted to providing social and recreational services and programs for active duty military members and their families. We felt it was appropriate for PLUS to choose the Armed Services YMCA as the first recipient of our Conference Cause recognition award."

According to Jenney, Armed Services YMCA in San Diego provides counseling, crisis intervention and emergency services to nearly 35,000 individuals annually, free of charge to all active duty military personnel and their families. Also provided are child care and recreational activities for children, parenting classes, and support and entertainment and social activities. Moreover, Armed Services YMCA offers hospital visitation programs and resources for families with special needs children.

"November is Military Family Month," says Jonney. "The PLUS Foundation and PLUS are donating $20,000 to the ASYMCA. At the annual next month, PLUS will be asking members to make their own donations."

Jenney says that Conference Cause is designed to reflect the generosity of the PLUS membership and to make a positive contribution to communities that host the annual PLUS international conference. "The Foundation was originally created to provide educational support for the Society and to do research," says Jenney. "But, during the last year, we decided to revisit our mission, and we are now including philanthropy and promoting diversity in our goals. In addition to Conference Cause, the Foundation also provides college scholarships to support children of PLUS members and companies. What's more, we sponsor 17 minority college students in professional liability internships in 11 cities across the country. Our research and education grants support graduate students of insurance and risk management."

According to Jenney, Conference Cause honorees will be chosen from the cities that host the PLUS annual meeting. The next annual will be in Boston.