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Northwestern Mutual Foundation honors top community volunteers in 2012
Nonprofits supporting military veterans and children with disabilities among those awarded $275,000 in grants as a tribute to winners

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is donating $275,000 to 26 nonprofit organizations across the U.S., recognizing winners of its 18th annual Community Service Award program. The national competition, open to more than 11,500 Northwestern Mutual financial representatives and interns, recognizes exemplary volunteer commitment to charitable organizations and philanthropic projects.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120207/CG48663LOGO)

For his dedication to the Lone Survivor Foundation, John Folkert, CLU, has been named Northwestern Mutual's "Most Exceptional Volunteer." Through the nonprofit, Folkert, a Byron Center, Mich., resident helps provide therapeutic outdoor opportunities to aid in healing and empowering those affected by combat injuries and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The Northwestern Mutual Foundation recently awarded a $25,000 grant to the nonprofit in the wealth management advisor's honor. The grant will be used to sponsor 10 retreats for wounded service members and their families.

Chad Monheim, a Northwestern Mutual financial representative intern and Webster, N.Y., resident, is this year's Intern Community Service Award winner. Daystar for Medically Fragile Infants, Inc. will receive a $10,000 grant in honor of his exceptional service work. For the past four years, Monheim, who has a brother with developmental disabilities, has been at the forefront of volunteering for the organization. The grant money will help fund the construction of a new facility for Daystar, which will expand care for 30 full-time medically fragile children from the Greater Rochester, N.Y., area.

The Northwestern Mutual Foundation is also recognizing and honoring 24 "Outstanding Volunteers" for their achievements with a grant of $10,000 to each organization they represent (see list of winners below). Since the inception of Northwestern Mutual's Community Service Award program, over $3 million dollars has been contributed to more than 300 nonprofit organizations nationwide.

"John, Chad and our other award winners set the standard for strengthening the communities they live in through passionate volunteerism," said John Kordsmeier, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. "We hope that their community involvement is contagious and inspires others to get involved in causes that are close to their hearts."

Watch YouTube videos about John Folkert's story and Chad Monheim's story.

2012 Northwestern Mutual Community Service Award Winners

Name

Organization

Grant Amount

Office City

Office State

John Folkert, CLU

Lone Survivor Foundation

$25,000

Grand Rapids

Mich.

Gary Bolno

Defenders of Children

$10,000

Scottsdale

Ariz.

Kevin Kaveney, CLTC

Citizen Soldier Connection

$10,000

Colorado Springs

Colo.

Kristin Francisco

Women's Fund of Miami-Dade

$10,000

Miami

Fla.

Graham Hill, CLU, ChFC, CFP

Fireside Ministries & Industries/Kingdom Here (FMI)

$10,000

Augusta

Ga.

Robert Yale, CLU, AEP

The Hadley School for the Blind

$10,000

Northbrook

Ill.

Laurie A.Z. Bitter, CLU, ChFC, CFP, CASL

Ecker Center for Mental Health

$10,000

Elgin

Ill.

Michael Mathews, CLU, ChFC, CFP

Servants at Work, Inc.

$10,000

Indianapolis

Ind.

Will Hornsby, CLU, ChFC

The Salvation Army – New Orleans Area Command

$10,000

Metairie

La.

Allen Snyder III, CLU, ChFC, CLTC

Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition, Inc.

$10,000

Boston

Mass.

Scott Rollin

The Richard M. Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge

$10,000

Edina

Minn.

Bill Archbold

Marshall Volunteer Fire Dept.

$10,000

Marshall

Minn.

Nikki Crawford

United Way of Greater St. Louis

$10,000

St. Louis

Mo.

Andrew Rose, CLU

Step Up Ministry

$10,000

Raleigh

N.C.

John Gianacaci

Christine's Hope for Kids Foundation

$10,000

Princeton

N.J.

Lynn Chiavaro, CLTC

PowerPlay NYC Inc.

$10,000

Montvale

N.J.

Chad Monheim

Daystar for Medically Fragile Infants

$10,000

Fairport

N.Y.

Stacey Sinko

Achievement Center for Children

$10,000

Cleveland

Ohio

Carol Boeckley

PregnancyCare of Cincinnati

$10,000

Cincinnati

Ohio

Daniel Jenkins, CLU

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburg

$10,000

Pittsburgh

Pa.

Stephen Grant, CLU

Gateway House, Inc.

$10,000

Greenville

S.C.

David Lively

Friendship Diner, First Broad Street United Methodist Church

$10,000

Kingsport

Tenn.

Roger McQueen, CLU

Salt Lake Community College Foundation

$10,000

Salt Lake City

Utah

Leo Tucker, CLU

Tiger Woods Foundation

$10,000

McLean

Va.

Christopher Poe, CLU, ChFC, CFP

I Have A Dream Foundation

$10,000

Charlottesville

Va.

Eileen Gillespie, CLU, CASL, CLTC

Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Foundation

$10,000

Milwaukee

Wis.

About the Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation – the largest corporate foundation in the state of Wisconsin – is to build strong, vibrant communities that serve as a legacy to future generations. The Foundation's giving is designed to create an impact on the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. In fiscal year 2012, the Foundation will contribute $16.7 million to nonprofit organizations across the country.

About Northwestern Mutual

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual) – among the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2012 according to FORTUNE® magazine – has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 155 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual

Shawn Rolland, 1-800-323-7033, mediarelations@northwesternmutual.com