Securian Financial is committed to empowering families in our community by investing in programs that promote financial stability, support youth and education, and build vibrant communities. To support that mission, the Securian Financial Foundation recently donated $1 million to Greater Twin Cities United Way. This generous gift will support United Way’s ongoing work to transform the Greater Twin Cities into a community of opportunity, where all families have access to food and a safe place to call home, and every child and adult can imagine and prepare for a prosperous future.
“Securian Financial has helped families build secure tomorrows for more than 140 years — a purpose that is core to our community giving. We are proud to partner with Greater Twin Cities United Way to accelerate programs poised to promote lasting change and hope our investment inspires others to help increase opportunity for all people in our community,” said Chris Hilger, Chairman, President and CEO of Securian Financial.
In the Twin Cities – despite its reputation for a high standard of living and generous philanthropic giving – we can more accurately predict a person’s ability to thrive based on their income, race or place rather than their potential. For too many children, where they end up in life is determined more by where they start than by their gifts and efforts.
Greater Twin Cities United Way works to solve these challenges and advance racial equity by collaborating with partners like Securian Financial to create new, innovative solutions that drive positive, lasting change. Programs such as Career Academies, which seeks to turn inequity into opportunity by preparing high school students for in-demand, high-wage careers through real-world experiences and training.
Minnesota’s achievement gaps indicate we are not successfully preparing Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Youth of Color for future success.
As part of their corporate social responsibility, Securian Financial supports youth and education and believes everyone should have equal access to tools and education to help them create their own futures. With a focus on equity, Career Academies builds upon the proven career pathways model to help these students transition from high school to wealth-building careers with zero college debt. Since the program’s inception in 2015, more than 10,000 students have enrolled in Career Academies programs. Forty-nine percent of students enrolled are Students of Color. Collectively, Career Academies students have earned nearly 10,000 college and tech school credits, saved more than $3 million in college tuition and earned $2.80 more per hour than students who don’t participate in the program.
Securian Financial also understands when basic needs for food, housing and employment are met, families can focus more on building stability together. Children living in poverty are more likely to experience adverse childhood events that can manifest as trauma, altering brain development. This is an issue that impacts Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Youth of Color at four times the rate of white people in our community, and the ripple effect of this trauma can lead to intergenerational poverty.
80x3: Resilient from the Start is a region-wide initiative led by Greater Twin Cities United Way that seeks to increase our region’s capacity to deliver trauma-sensitive care in early childhood and improve long-term outcomes.
With financial support from companies like Securian Financial, United Way is able to continue advancing household stability, educational success and economic opportunity for those who face the most barriers due to income, race or place and help realize our shared vision of achieving a community where all people thrive.
