This article was originally published in The Examiner on Feb. 2, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
In the Lumberton City Council meeting Jan. 23, the council unanimously approved acceptance of a $1,000 donation from Allstate Insurance’s Helping Hands foundation, city secretary Susan Collins said.
Councilman Kenneth Wall made the motion and Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Spears seconded it before the vote.
City Manager Steve Clark said the donation will go to the Lumberton Chamber of Commerce, but the city council had to approve the donation first.
The Helping Hands Foundation awarded this grant because of the volunteer work of Don Burnett, an exclusive Allstate agent in Lumberton. The Lumberton Lions Club is also receiving a $1,000 grant because of Burnett’s efforts.
“Allstate recognizes agents in the community. It’s called Helping Hands grant program, it’s part of being in the community where we live and work,” Burnett said in an interview.
The grants go to charitable, social and humanitarian organizations where exclusive Allstate agents have volunteered at least 10 hours per year, he explained. The program awards both $500 and $1,000 grants, according to the foundation website.
Burnett has been an Allstate agent for six years and has received four grants through the program.
Clark and Burnett explained that the Chamber plans to use the funds for economic development programs for the city.
“The Chamber is partnering with Lamar Small Business Development Center to offer seminars to individuals who are wishing to start up their own business in the city of Lumberton,” Lumberton Chamber of Commerce executive director Sandra Womack said in an e-mail. “Some of the seminars will include how to make a business plan, bookkeeping, QuickBooks, tax liabilities, working with a commercial realtor, financing, city permitting, networking, social media and other topics as needed. We will offer seminars to our membership on reviewing and updating their business plan, networking, how to use social media to help grow their business and other topics upon request.”
“The Chamber is grateful to Don Burnett and the Allstate Foundation for approving us for the grant,” Womack added. “Together with the city of Lumberton, we want to continue to help grow Lumberton and the business community. This grant provides us the opportunity do that.”
“The more they sell, the more tax dollars they collect, which in turn goes back to benefit the city, so it’s like a big circle,” Burnett said.
Eleanor Skelton 