Securities America Marks 25th Anniversary with 25 Weeks of Community Service

    OMAHA, NE, October 17, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Securities America launched "Investing in Our Communities: 25 Weeks of Caring, Giving and Sharing" to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary through community service projects in Omaha and other communities across the country where the firm's employees live and work.

"Omaha has been so good to our company since we started in 1984, from the business environment to the incredible pool of talented employees," said Steve McWhorter, Securities America chairman and CEO. "We wanted to find a way to give back to this community and to the other communities where we have satellite offices and even individual employees. The initial response from employees has been absolutely overwhelming, and we look forward to continuing that momentum for the other projects scheduled through the end of the year."

Monthly, July through December, the company selects two projects, one that employees can "do" by giving their time and a second that involves "donating" items or cash to a cause. Just two months into its "Investing in Our Communities" initiative, employees have exceeded goals for the first four initiatives.

The company recently wrapped up its August initiatives to benefit the letter-writing campaign AnySoldier.com and Project Harmony, an Omaha-based nonprofit agency that brings together medical, law enforcement and social services professionals to aid children who have been abused or neglected:

• Securities America employees exceeded their goal of 250 letters for AnySoldier.com, generating nearly 700 letters, many of them from students at schools attended by employees' children. Employees also donated more than 350 used books and hundreds of magazines to be sent to military units from Nebraska and Iowa stationed in the Middle East.

• Employees far surpassed their goal of collecting 25 bags and backpacks along with 25 other items for Project Harmony, with a final tally of 54 bags, backpacks and suitcases and more than 200 items such as toiletries for infants and children, socks, underwear, blankets, shoes and infant formula.

"Your generosity will make it possible for children removed from their homes and awaiting foster care to enter into a new home with the necessities they need until their new family can get to the store and provide for them," said Gene Klein, Project Harmony executive director. "The backpacks and bags, toothpaste and brushes, shampoo and conditioners, undergarments and formula will make the transition much easier for each of these children. They will have something to call their own."

In July, Securities America employees gave 35 pints of blood to the America Red Cross, 10 more than their goal, and donated 27 fans to the Salvation Army, exceeding that goal as well.

For September, Securities America organized teams for the Sept. 12 World O! Water Clean Up Day, sponsored by Keep Omaha Beautiful, and is collecting items for the Nebraska Humane Society. Other "do" initiatives for the year will include organizing volunteers for the Omaha Down Syndrome Parent Network's Buddy Walk on Oct. 3, serving meals at homeless shelters and ringing bells for the Salvation Army. The company will also be collecting items and monetary donations for the benefit of the Heartland Family Services Senior Center, the Omaha Food Bank and the Lydia House.

Securities America President Jim Nagengast spoke about the service work during a recent interview on the KFAB radio show Grow Omaha. A recording is available here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WXjFCXsS.

About Securities America
Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Securities America, Inc. has more than 1,900 financial professionals nationwide with more than $34 billion in client assets under their supervision. Securities America Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-Registered Investment Advisory firm with more than $11.2 billion in assets under management and administration that offers investment management, financial advice and financial planning through financial advisors. As your business growth expert, Securities America's mission is to foster the success of financial professionals so they can provide quality, objective counsel and services to their clients. Additional information is available at www.securitiesamerica.com.

SOURCE: SECURITIES AMERICA
Celebrating 25 Years of Innovation, Leadership & Independence
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