Horace Mann earns Gold Halo Award for its partnership with DonorsChoose.org

Springfield, IL – May 30, 2013 –The Horace Mann Companies and DonorsChoose.org have earned the Gold Halo Award for Best Education Campaign from The Cause Marketing Forum.

DonorsChoose.org and Horace Mann were nominated in an entry titled, Horace Mann: Turning Agents into Educators. Since beginning its partnership in 2011, Horace Mann agents have encouraged teachers to request DonorsChoose.org funding for their classroom projects. The projects range from iPads to books for the classroom. Once a teacher posts a project on the website, people from throughout the nation can donate by going to DonorsChoose.org. Horace Mann also contributes, donating $1.7 million to classroom projects thus far.

“As a national sponsor of DonorsChoose.org, it’s gratifying to know Horace Mann is helping many students experience learning in a way they may not have been able to without our funding and the support our local agents provide to the schools and teachers they serve,” says Peter Heckman, President and CEO of Horace Mann. “Practically speaking, teachers receive project-related materials they need through DonorsChoose.org to help keep their students engaged; but, ultimately, it’s all about helping future generations become productive citizens and successful leaders."

Now in their eleventh year, the Cause Marketing Halo Awards are North America's highest honor in the field of cause marketing, awarded by the Cause Marketing Forum, a company dedicated to providing business and nonprofit executives with the practical information and connections they need to succeed.

"Turning Agents into Educators is the kind of case study we treasure at the Cause Marketing Forum. It is a program that truly solves a business challenge for the corporation and delivers significant social value. Bravo to Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org for partnering to open doors for insurance agents and enhance classrooms across the country,” says Founder and President of the Cause Marketing Forum, David Hessekiel.

To see a video on the Horace Mann/DonorsChoose.org partnership, go to http://youtu.be/bSoN2yWv6e0.

Partnership facts

• Over 50% of public schools in the country have Horace Mann agents on the ground educating teachers about DonorsChoose.org.

• After Horace Mann’s very first campaign, 501 schools had projects funded that had not previously had a fully funded project.

• DonorsChoose.org has been able to support over 2,000 schools they would not have reached without the Horace Mann partnership.

As of April 9, 2013

• Horace Mann had donated over $1.7 million to classroom projects, supported 1,204,530 students, and funded 13,223 projects. 

• Horace Mann affiliated schools received over $44.5 million in project funding.

• 8.4 million students at Horace Mann-affiliated schools had been impacted. 

• Almost 90,000 projects had been funded at Horace Mann-affiliated schools.