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Franklin Cooperative Ministry was nominated by Manry Rawls Insurance to receive an $8,000 donation as part of Westfield’s Legacy of Caring program.

A Westfield news release continued by stating that each year, Westfield independent insurance agents, like Manry Rawls, are invited to nominate a local nonprofit for the Legacy of Caring program. 

The Westfield Insurance Foundation, an independent private foundation endowed by Westfield, awards the donation as an extension of the fundamental role that insurance plays every day in stabilizing families, businesses and communities in times of uncertainty. 

This year, the grant program, funded by Westfield Insurance Foundation, is focused on supporting nonprofits that are helping families and businesses stabilize and recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last 15 months, nonprofits became increasingly important as the number of people in need increased, while funding support simultaneously evaporated. Many agents participating in the Legacy of Caring program this year elected to nominate their local Feeding America food bank, Urban League or United Way because of the critical resources they provide to their communities. 

“As our businesses and schools reopen and ‘return to normal,’ Westfield’s Legacy of Caring program reminds us that it may take years to return to the stability and security people and businesses — including nonprofits — enjoyed before the pandemic happened,” Vee Pittman, president of Manry Rawls, said.

“We are so grateful for the generous support of Cooperative Ministry by Westfield Company and Manry Rawls Insurance,” Franklin Cooperative Ministry Director Margaret Anne Smith said. “The Legacy of Caring grant will have a direct impact on our funding and will help us provide the support and hope needed to be successful.”

The Westfield Insurance Foundation will donate more than $600,000 dollars to neighborhoods across the country. Manry Rawls is one of nearly 100 agencies that nominated a nonprofit for the Westfield Legacy of Caring grant program. 

Officials in the release stated Westfield is proud to work with its independent agents in distributing more than $3 million since 2015.

“We value our partnerships with our independent insurance agencies,” said Ed Largent, Westfield president, CEO and Westfield Insurance Foundation chair. “2020 was an incredibly tough year, and Westfield recognizes that families trying to achieve and maintain stability were faced with multiple barriers to success. Investing in our agents’ communities will help families realize short-term successes with long-lasting outcomes.”