Be the Hero in Your Community and Help Your Neighbors in Need

Friday, Aug 28,2009, 2:21:48 PM Click:

Insurance producers can be heroes in their communities by partnering with the Gradient Gives Back program and helping people in need such as the Harris family in Minnesota.

The Harris Family with the Gradient Gives Back team.

On July 27, Donald Trump's original "Apprentice" and Gradient Gives Back spokesman Bill Rancic surprised Wayne and Adele Harris of White Bear Lake with a financial makeover as part of the Gradient Gives Back Community Outreach Program.

The Harrises, who care for their daughter, Lily, a 4-year-old with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and daughter, Kaeli, 7, have feared losing their home after falling into financial debt with Lily's costly medical bills and after Wayne lost his job due to the economic downturn.

Tami Lucius, founder of Gradient Financial Group, LLC, said the Harrises are a proud family that needed a hand up, not a hand out.

"During the interview process, I never once heard them complain or feel sorry for themselves," Lucius said. "They are determined to get back on their feet, and I am so pleased we can help them."

Adele Harris with daughter Lily.

Insurance producers can be out front in this movement to help heal families in their own communities. Through the Gradient Gives Back Program, families will receive six months worth of mortgage payments and have high interest rates cut with the help of Gradient Home Mortgage. Additionally, the program will provide debt reduction, financial analysis, retirement planning, tax filing and career counseling for up to two years.

Insurance producers are often counted on as leaders in their communities. Producers got into the business because they want to help people and this program is an extension of that drive. It is way to help neighbors make a difference in their lives in the same way this program helped the Harris family.

"We are shocked. We never thought this could happen to us," Adele Harris said. "We applied for Gradient Gives Back online when we heard Bill Rancic on a local radio show, saying how he was looking for Minneapolis families in need. We felt he was speaking right to us, and, now, here we are!"

In addition to financial support the program provided, the Harrises received numerous community donations, including a Chrysler Town and Country EX Minivan and help from industry leaders: $2,500 annuity (American Equity); two $1,000 savings bonds (Legacy Marketing Group); $1,000 toward debt reduction and elimination (InsuranceNewsNet.com); and $500 My Rewards gift card (Motivaction).

Wayne and Kaeli Harris.

This is the first of many financial makeovers Gradient will be awarding to families in need across the U.S. from now through the end of the year. Find out how your agency can be shoulder to shoulder with people making a difference.

"We're going to try to award as many financial makeovers as we can," Rancic said. "This is just the beginning, and I look forward to knocking on many more people's doors and surprising them with this kind of news."

About Gradient Financial Group

Gradient Financial Group, LLC, encompasses a comprehensive family of financial services firms including Gradient Insurance Brokerage, Gradient Investments, Gradient Securities, Gradient Tax and Gradient Home Mortgage. Gradient strives be the first and most trusted resource for financial services professionals and clients. Leading the industry by providing unparalleled service, business guidance, practice management, training, marketing systems and access to unique products and platforms, Gradient is creating tomorrow’s advisor, today.

Contact:
Kelley Campau
Dowd Agency
212-686-7777
Kelley@dowdagency.com