The National Life Group Do Good Fest® exceeds match goal, nears $1.5M for VT flood relief

The National Life Group Do Good Fest® fundraiser for rebuilding Vermont after historic flooding last week has exceeded the original match goal of $500,000. Chairman, CEO and President Mehran Assadi announced at the July 15 event that National Life will match donations, now nearing $750,000 for a total of $1.5 million, making this the largest gift so far to the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund 2023.

Partnered with the Vermont Community Foundation’s VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund 2023, the first $500,000 will be dispersed to local relief agencies by the beginning of next week. Donations are still being accepted.

“National Life Group is an insurance company with a soul,” Assadi said. “We have been a part of this community for 175 years, and this is what a good company does – it takes care of its neighbors.”

With the devastation Vermont experienced last week from historic flooding, National Life transformed within three days the annual benefit concert Do Good Fest, historically held on the company’s back lawn, to an indoor acoustic performance that was livestreamed so that viewers across Vermont, the nation and globally could support the rebuilding of Vermont through online donations.

“Vermont is at its best when we look out for each other and our neighbors. As an employer and a neighbor, National Life has embodied that for over a century and has done so again with this incredible commitment,” said Dan Smith, president & CEO of the Vermont Community Foundation. “We are so grateful to be able to put these resources to work for families, farms, and small businesses affected by this catastrophic storm. Together we remain Vermont-strong.”

The first deployment of funds will be distributed by the end of this week via the Vermont Community Foundation to local organizations and those in need can access support via those local agencies such as Montpelier Strong, the Barre Partnership, Mosaic, and Capstone Community Action, to name a few. A full list of recipients will be forthcoming at vermontcf.org.

Broadcast live by Star 92.9 and Vermont’s Own WCAX Channel 3, special guests joined the Plain White T’s, Fastball, lovelytheband and Vermont favorite, All Night Boogie Band during a telethon-type live event held from 6 – 9 p.m. EDT.

You can watch Do Good Fest here: Do Good Fest.

Rebuilding takes a long time. You can donate here or:

#VTFlood23 #VermontStrong