As the holidays quickly approach during Q4, AIP Marketing Alliance wants to pivot away from the life insurance and annuity conversations to discuss how you can make a difference for someone or a group of people by giving back in November.

AIPMA has shared some of the retirement planning challenges most consumers are facing due to ongoing conversations of inflation, unemployment, escalate healthcare and medication expenses, and the 4% retirement rule guideline become less of a standard.

However, “giving back” doesn’t necessarily mean spending money to help ease the burden on local charitable efforts in your community. Today’s charities do need financial support, but some necessary services also need the volunteers to ensure holiday meals are delivered, packed, or even received for families in need.

As part of Integrity’s 2023 “Time Out for Charity” initiative, our employees volunteered for Lighthouse of Oakland County, which supports residents’ basic needs for direct services (food, shelter, rental/utility and other financial assistance, crisis referrals) and stability and housing programs that develop and support self-sufficiency.

Volunteers play a pivotal role in Lighthouse’s operations as AIPMA’s team discovered how much coordination and manual labor is necessary to satisfy these needs. Local food distribution centers, such as Forgotten Harvest, unload pallets of various foods to stock this pantry location, plus area businesses (Meijer and Panera Bread, to name a few) also drop off multiple items to repurpose and place into food boxes.

AIPMA’s team donated time at their location by unloading trucks of food, separating products into meal boxes for families, and processing orders. You can relive the experience by checking out our blog about the event.

As a strategic partner of Integrity, AIP Marketing Alliance employees are allocated 16 service hours per team member annually to give back to local philanthropic events. We use these hours on an individual basis, or we also team up to support a common cause like Lighthouse above.

In that same breath, AIPMA also understands the need for donations vs. service hours as most charitable organizations earmark funding for research, support, or other expenses dire to their respective cause.

Started by Chief Financial Officer Kym Kisser, AIPMA also has a Casual for a Cause wall in our office, where employees nominate local charities to receive a quarterly donation from our team. Employees voluntarily pay to “dress casual” in the office on an annual basis and these funds are then doubled by AIPMA.

Once a year, we spin a charity wheel where four charities are selected to receive the donated money. In 2024, donations went to eight great charities including Fredi The PizzaMan Foundation, Berkley Cares Food Pantry, New Beginnings Animal Rescue, Ladies of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Oakland County, Furever Tails Animal Rescue, St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen, and HAVEN of Oakland County. You can catch up on these organizations and their positive impact in Michigan by clicking here.

Since its inception, AIPMA has donated to the following organizations: Alzheimer Association; Angels of Hope; Berkley Cares Food Pantry; Better Life for Canine Center; Boys and Girls Club; Capuchin Soup Kitchen; C.A.T.C.H.; Children’s Miracle Network; Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation; Detroit Dog Rescue; Forgotten Harvest; Fredi The PizzaMan Foundation; Friends of Ryan Kennedy Foundation; Furever Tails Animal Rescue; Gianna House; Gilian Kennedy's Healing Journey; Gleaners Food Bank; Haven of Oakland County; Ladies of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Oakland County; Leader Dogs for the Blind; Lighthouse of Oakland County; Life Remodeled; Lucky Fin; Michigan Humane Society; New Beginnings Animal Rescue; Pope Francis Center; Red Nose Day; Ronald McDonald House; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; St. Leo's Soup Kitchen; Salvation Army; The Bonnell Foundation; The Eimer’s Foundation; Toys for Tots; Troy Athens High School; University Hills Elementary PTA; and the Wounded Warrior Project.

AIPMA also has supported October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month through donations to the American Cancer Society through fundraisers hosted by Darron Markwood, Vice President of Marketing and Compliance Officer. These local events have raised more than $40,000 through the ACS Men Wear Pink campaign that leverages local businessmen to individually raise $2,500 throughout October.

Hopefully this month’s LinkedIn Newsletter has inspired you to take some time to give back in your local community – whether it involves volunteering hours or making a generous donation. It is the holiday season, so your contribution can make a difference in the lives of others.

If you would like to submit a charity for AIP Marketing Alliance’s Casual for a Cause, please contact our team at [email protected]. We will review your request and contact you accordingly. Have a great Thanksgiving and be thankful in 2025!!!

For more than 40 years, AIP Marketing Alliance (AIPMA), an Integrity Company, serves as a premier life insurance and annuity distribution partner to provide full-service support to independent wholesalers, brokerages and agents from our Troy, Michigan office. NOT AFFILIATED WITH OR ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.

AIP Marketing Alliance is committed to STRIVE in ’25 as we support our independent insurance wholesalers and agents. Visit our blog on aipma.com to stay informed on these upcoming launches and learn why wholesalers nationwide choose AIPMA as their distributor for selling life insurance, annuities, long-term care insurance, final expense, and much more. Ask about our lead services, myAIP CRM platform with customizable recruiter portal, and online tools/resources designed to grow your business. The difference is personal.

AIP Marketing Alliance, an Integrity Company, has developed this electronic communication for informational and educational use only. Be advised, AIP Marketing Alliance, Inc., does not provide legal advice, tax advice, or guidance on issues involving securities laws, insurance laws nor securities or insurance regulations. This material should not be relied on as providing any such advice or guidance to either agents or retail consumers. Within this communication, AIPMA shares links for usage as information only. This content should not be interpreted as solicitation to purchase life insurance, annuities, or other products or as advice designed to meet your clients’ specific needs. Content involving fiduciary, tax, or legal advice should be directed to your legal, tax, and financial professionals for specific advice or product recommendations. AIPMA will not accept any legal liability resulting from any use of 3rd party material(s).