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The Hartford Continues Strong Commitment to its Communities Through its 2007 Corporate Giving Program

The Hartford Continues Strong Commitment to its Communities Through its 2007 Corporate Giving Program

Published 04-03-08

Submitted by The Hartford

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services companies, today announced it invested more than $6.5 million in community programs and nonprofit organizations in 2007. More than half of the company's giving focused on educational initiatives, such as Teach For America, the Junior Fire Marshal program and Playbook for Life.

"As we have demonstrated for nearly two centuries, The Hartford and its employees have actively supported efforts that enhance the quality of life in our communities," said The Hartford's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramani Ayer. "As the company prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary, we are continuing to show that support through direct giving, employee volunteerism and educational outreach. Our educational giving endows students with the priceless commodity of knowledge, which is one of the strongest investments that any community can make in its children. The best education at an early age will have an immeasurable effect in the years to come."

As an active corporate citizen in the communities in which it operates, The Hartford focuses on giving in ways that align its diversified businesses with support to the community. With more than a third of the company's approximately 31,000 employees based in Connecticut, The Hartford invested $3 million to organizations in its home state, nearly all on programs within the city of Hartford. In philanthropic-directed giving through its many field offices in the U.S., more than $700,000 was granted to organizations in 40 communities throughout the U.S. where The Hartford does business.

Highlights of the company's national, Connecticut and field office giving are included below. To view an expanded listing of the company's 2007 contributions, please visit www.thehartford.com/corporategiving.

National Giving

 

  • A leading U.S. disability insurer, The Hartford pledged support to the U.S. Paralympics and its 500 athletes with a grant of $650,000. The sponsorship reflects the company's commitment to help its customers maintain active, productive lives if they become disabled. Many of the U.S. Paralympians attended The Hartford Ski Spectacular, the nation's largest winter sports festival for people with physical disabilities. For more information on The Hartford's sponsorship, please visit http://groupbenefits.thehartford.com/usp.
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  • As further commitment to its Ability Philosophy, The Hartford granted $250,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project to develop an annual Leadership Summit for injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The first summit, to be held in June 2008 in Jacksonville, Fla., will empower veterans with the skills needed to be leaders in their communities and in business. Seminars during the summit will include financial planning for veterans and their families and a small business program based on The Hartford Business Owners' Playbook.
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  • As a leading provider of financial solutions for Baby Boomers, those they care for and those who will care for them, The Hartford contributed $500,000 to the MIT AgeLab and partnered with the organization to design new educational materials to help caregivers with difficult decisions. These educational materials can be found free of charge online at www.thehartford.com/alzheimers.
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  • The Hartford continued to support Playbook for Life, a financial literacy program developed by The Hartford in collaboration with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA(R)), investing $700,000 in 2007. The Playbook offers a primer on managing debt, credit, savings, investment and insurance, and other money matters that helps college students get on solid financial footing. In 2007, thousands of college students participated in Playbook for Life through on-campus events or received curriculum materials. For more information on Playbook for Life, please visit www.playbook.thehartford.com.
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  • The Hartford's fire safety education program, Junior Fire Marshal, celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007. The company contributed more than $300,000 and hosted free educational events in Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio, and Hartford, Conn. Over the last 60 years, more than 110 million of the program’s signature red fire hats have been donned by young boys and girls following their fire safety lessons as a symbol of their accomplishment. Through The Hartford's Junior Fire Marshal Employee Donation Program, more than 2,500 employees donated a Junior Fire Marshal classroom kit to the school of their choice. Visit the newly redesigned Junior Fire Marshal Web site to download free educational materials and play interactive games at www.thehartford.com/jfm.

 

Connecticut Giving

 

  • The Hartford's pledge of $1 million to support Teach For America in Connecticut enabled 29 college graduates from top schools around the country to teach in the city of Hartford beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. "The Hartford is proud to support Teach For America as its determined teachers help close the achievement gap plaguing so many cities and rural communities," said Ayer. The company contributes more than $1.5 million annually to improve educational opportunities through college scholarships, internships for high school and college students, grants to nonprofits that provide programs to city schools, partnerships with three public schools and volunteer programs where several hundred employees tutor and mentor city students regularly.
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  • The company also contributed $685,000 to The Hartford's two school-to-career programs: the STAG program and the Alliance for Academic Achievement. STAG is an internship program for low-income Hartford high school students who receive job and life skills training through after-school and summer employment at The Hartford. Since its 1966 founding, more than 1,600 students have graduated from the program and more than 250 are currently full-time Hartford employees. The Alliance program supports Hartford students through their college years, offering them scholarships and summer employment at The Hartford. Since its inception in 1999, more than 115 students have attended college through the program. Company employees serve as mentors to STAG and Alliance participants, starting them on the road to success in the business world.
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  • This year, The Hartford's corporate gift of $500,000 to the United Way of the Capital Area was joined by $2.2 million in employee-giving pledges nationwide. More than 600 of The Hartford's Connecticut-based employees volunteered at local agencies during the organization's annual Day of Caring.
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  • As an active patron of the arts, The Hartford sponsored and hosted the world-renowned COEXISTENCE exhibition on its Asylum Hill campus. The international traveling arts exhibition treated Connecticut residents and visitors to 45 billboard-sized works of art focusing on the universal messages of diversity and acceptance for more than a month in Spring 2007. As a cultural benefit to the community, the company orchestrated a vast schedule of free events and presented the Coexistence Award to Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr., Ed.D, in recognition of his lifetime achievement in advancing the principles of peaceful coexistence. The investment in the exhibition and the events totaled more than $270,000. "COEXISTENCE inspired all of those who saw it," said Ayer. "The exhibition stimulated dialogue and discussion on how we can all coexist to create a better future." To see images from the exhibition and related events, including a student art competition, please visit www.thehartford.com/coexistence.
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  • The Hartford made a grant of $250,000 to support a new center for YMCA of Greater Hartford in Hartford's Upper Albany neighborhood. The new center will provide educational and social services to children from throughout Asylum Hill and North Hartford.
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  • As part of its work to strengthen the area around its campus, The Hartford supported the Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA) with a grant of $100,000 in 2007. The organization promotes homeownership, public safety and historic preservation. The Hartford’s gift has enabled greater public safety, streetscape improvements and the refurbishment of several abandoned homes in the blocks surrounding the company's world headquarters.

 

Field Office Giving

 

  • In the Chicago area, where The Hartford has nearly 1,000 employees, the company continued its long-time partnership with The Children's Place Association, providing a grant of $25,000. The Children's Place Association is an organization which provides housing and educational services to Chicago-area families affected by HIV/AIDS. The Children's Place Association honored The Hartford with the Chicago Champion for Children Award in 2007.
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  • In Minnesota, where The Hartford has nearly 2,000 employees, the company granted $10,000 to the Prostate Cancer Education Council. As the first life insurer to offer coverage at standard rates to certain survivors of prostate cancer, The Hartford's Minneapolis-area employees celebrated this advance through leadership of the PACE Race. More than 50 employees ran or volunteered in this Hartford-sponsored event.
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  • In California, where The Hartford has about 1,600 employees, the company announced a $10,000 donation to the San Diego Habitat for Humanity Firestorm Disaster Rebuild Fund, following the tragic October 2007 California Wildfires. In addition, employees from The Hartford's Santee office will volunteer their time to construct a home at a build day in the summer of 2008.
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  • In North Carolina, where The Hartford has nearly 1,000 employees, the company granted $10,000 to the American Diabetes Association to sponsor the annual walk, Step Out to Fight Diabetes, held in Charlotte. More than 100 employees and family members from our Charlotte office participated as walkers or volunteered at the event.
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    About The Hartford

    The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with 2007 revenues of $25.9 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

    HIG-C

    Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

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The Hartford

The Hartford

The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) is a leading provider of insurance and wealth management services for millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. The Hartford is consistently recognized for its superior service and as one of the world's most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com.

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