As we accept nominations for the NMA Housing Awards, philanthropy and community figure largely in our thoughts. We sat down with Amy Hourigan, Marketing and Communications Director for our partner HAI Group, to hear how HAI Group gives back to their community.
Student aid
HAI Group’s Resident Scholarship Program eases the financial burden of higher education for students living in low-income housing. Each year, the company awards up to $6,000 per semester to cover the cost of tuition, books, and other expenses. To date, they’ve granted more than $1.2 million to 450 recipients, who have pursued careers in education, law enforcement, nursing, social work, and STEM fields, to name just a few.
The scholarship allowed Natasha Cross, a resident of Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority in Virginia, to take extra courses every semester and graduate with her bachelor’s degree earlier than anticipated.
“[It allows] me to focus more on my studies without worrying about struggling financially to pay for school,” said Cross. “Receiving this scholarship means the world to me.”
HAI Group bolsters students at the high-school level, too. Since 1988, they’ve offered an internship and mentorship program to introduce teenagers to a possible career path in insurance. HAI Group chooses students from Howard University to mentor the interns, who take part in policyholder discussions, risk control activities, rate analysis, and other initiatives to gain real-world experience.
Helping their neighbors
Through fun company activities, HAI Group employees donate money to aid various organizations local to company headquarters in Cheshire, Connecticut. They’ve provided holiday gifts for children who live in affordable housing, sponsored their area’s police department in a charity hike for the Special Olympics, and helped out food pantries with donations of clothes, fresh vegetables, and much-needed money.
During the pandemic, strategy shifted to accommodate for remote work, but the company was still able to donate to 12 organizations in 2020.
In addition to these initiatives, HAI Group company leaders and staff receive three paid volunteer days to spend volunteering for the cause of their choice. The company has also partnered with Make-a-Wish to help make dreams come true for children fighting critical illnesses.
Valued partners
HAI Group has also supported partner initiatives—like the NMA Housing Awards, which we award yearly to individual agencies who astound us with innovative development and community outreach.
Visit HAI Group online to learn more about their many projects, both philanthropic and professional (including self-paced online trainings from NMA’s experts!)
A proud supporter of public and affordable housing, HAI Group creates insurance products and related services exclusively for the industry.
