21st Century Insurance has been actively involved in community campaigns and efforts promoting the proper investiture and use of child safety automobile seats. This was fueled by the veracity that motor vehicle accidents have been the leading cause of mortality amongst 2 to 14-year-old children. This is according to the data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They say that more than half of the total number of the passengers (from birth to 15 years of age) are killed in vehicular accidents were found to be totally unrestrained.
Since the inception of this campaign, 21st Century has hosted 100 child safety seat educational drives in different states. These events usually involve the dynamic participation of the law enforcers, local media, skilled safety technicians, families from different states, and the insurance company’s top officials. In the course of these actions, with the expertise of the safety technicians, more than 3,000 unsafe, defective or recalled child safety seats are discarded and destroyed. The campaigns have completed the inspection of more than 10,000 child safety seats. The company donates brand-new safety seats for children and is mostly given away to families who participate during these programs.
21st Century’s commitment to this public safety awareness campaigns has also facilitated the preparation of police officers in protecting and serving — by means of enrolling them to Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School Program. The company, in alliance with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District prepares and encourages secondary students to pursue careers in law enforcement. 21st has been able to donate up to $750,000 in support to these cadets since 1996. Last 2006, 130 cadets graduated in this program. It is also the 10th year anniversary celebration of this educational and philanthropic tradition.
Aside from the child safety seats awareness programs, 21st has also joined hands with Arizona’s Dept. of Public Safety and California Highway Patrol in enlightening the public about the importance of safe driving. They used billboards advertising the topics centered on “Driving Sober” and “Just Drive”. Distractions like talking on the phone, reading, and eating while driving are discussed and printed out in both English and Spanish. They are hoping to create positive impressions on the seriousness and importance of driving safely, not just for the driver, himself but the entire public.
The company was also able to print several publications and designed community events that aimed to assist the customers and prospective clients in selecting their auto insurance and automobile safety policies. 21st published ‘Child Safety Seat: A Parent’s Guide, and The Golden Road, which is a 30-minute documentary designed to help the elderly drivers and their families in assessing seniors’ driving capacities to decrease the dangers of driving. These educational materials were widely distributed in California and other states.
Aside from these, 21st Century has also been helping organizations like United Way Campaigns and Union Rescue Mission. The company and its employees had been fervent in raising financial help extended to these groups. They were able to tender $1.8 million to United Way Campaigns and some $3 million donations to the latter.
These and many other community based development and educational projects are deeply valued by 21st Century, making it not merely a prominent insurance company but also a company committed with serving the community. This is 21st Century’s proud tradition of philanthropy.
