Date: January 30, 2009
HealthMarkets Employees and Independent Field Agents Donate More Than $100,000 to Toys for Tots
HealthMarkets involved with Toys for Tots since 1986
North Richland Hills, Texas – January 30, 2009 – HealthMarkets, Inc. (http://www.healthmarkets.com) announced today that it has completed another successful campaign raising donations for the U.S. Marine Reserve Toys for Tots DFW program (http://www.dfwtoysfortots.com). HealthMarkets employees have been involved with the Toys for Tots program since 1986 and this year donated $107,000 in cash and toys.
HealthMarkets® is the brand name for health insurance products underwritten and issued by the health insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc., located in North Richland Hills, TX. Health insurance products provided under the HealthMarkets brand are designed to provide personalized health insurance protection to individuals, families, the self-employed and small businesses.
The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
"The first year HealthMarkets became involved with Toys for Tots we raised $1,317. Since that time, we have donated more than $1 million in toys and monetary contributions to the program both as a national sponsor and directly in the Dallas/Fort Worth area," said Phillip J. Hildebrand, the president and CEO for HealthMarkets, Inc. "In 2008 we expanded our efforts to include our agent field force. HealthMarkets employees donated more than $82,000 in cash and toys, and our independent field force donated an additional $25,000 in cash to support this worthwhile organization."
"Our 2008 campaign was extremely successful and, like they have for the last 22 years, HealthMarkets was a major contributor," said retired Marine Maj. Gen. Bill Gossell, who serves as the civilian chairman/coordinator of the DFW Toys for Tots program. "We believe every kid deserves a Christmas and thanks to the generosity of HealthMarkets and the people of the metroplex, our program was able to provide toys to more than 115,000 children in the DFW area."
HealthMarkets donations provided gifts that included:
• 300 bicycles with helmets
• 400 skateboards with helmets
• 400 each of: basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, plastic bat and ball Combo sets, and playground balls
• More than 4000 assorted toys