Travelers 2008 donations top $19M

The Travelers Cos. Inc. and its nonprofit Travelers Foundation, provided more than $19 million in 2008 to support education, neighborhood development and the arts in Hartford and other U.S. communities where it operates.

The St. Paul, Minn.-based insurer, which has major operations in Hartford,  recently announced the company and foundation will concentrate giving this year to spur education in Hartford and its home market.

Among grants to improve students' academic and career success, Travelers awarded $150,000 to support Achieve Hartford!, an organization working with the Hartford Public Schools, said Marlene Ibsen, CEO & President of the Travelers Foundation.

"Today's students are our future workforce," Ibsen said. "The health of our businesses and our communities depends on an educated population."

Travelers also contributed $100,000 to Hartford's South Arsenal Neighborhood Development Corp. (SAND) to create energy-efficient housing in urban areas.

It also awarded $40,000 for Musical Dialogues, a program of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra specifically targeted to the African American and Latino communities to provide an interaction between orchestra soloists and a diverse audience.

Baltimore, Chicago and New York City were among the other communities benefitting from Travelers' contributions, the company said.