(Oklahoma City, OK) - The American Fidelity Foundation (AFF), recently renamed and refocused, provided 120 grants during 2007 to area non-profit agencies. Those grants, as well as matches made to individual employee donations, exceeded $700,000. Formerly known as the Founders' Fund, the American Fidelity Foundation is the philanthropic arm of American Fidelity Assurance Company (AFA).

"We are glad that our Customers and Colleagues have made it possible to support our community through the grants made by the Foundation," said Bill Cameron, chairman of the Foundation's board of directors. "Oklahoma City is our home, and we want to do our part to sustain the positive momentum in this community."

The largest grants during 2007 were the result of matches to contributions made by AFA Colleagues to the United Way of Central Oklahoma and to Allied Arts. The combination of donations by Colleagues and the match by the Foundation resulted in $283,435 for United Way and $56,273 for Allied Arts during 2007. Those totals placed AFA eighth among all companies supporting United Way, and fifth among all of the Allied Arts business supporters. American Fidelity is the 34th largest employer in the metro, according to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the donations made to United Way and Allied Arts, other major grants ($10,000 or more) made by AFF in 2007 included:

• $49,400 to American Heart Association to be the primary sponsor of the annual fundraising Heart Walk;
• $36,940 to Ballet Oklahoma for event sponsorship, to help relieve organizational debt and to assist staff recruitment;
• $30,000 to the Last Frontier Council of Boy Scouts to support the Eagle Scouts program and to provide assistance for programs at a new summer camp facility;
• $27,125 to the Chesapeake Boathouse Foundation to sponsor a teaching curriculum and field day to view the international regatta in October for 4,000 area sixth-grade students in Oklahoma City;
• $25,000 to the World War II Museum to provide free learning materials and "distance learning" instruction to Oklahoma City schools from the national museum located in New Orleans;
• $25,000 to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art to be a season sponsor;
• $20,000 to All Sports Association to provide tickets and transportation to the Big 12 women's basketball tournament for area elementary school students who completed a reading program;
• $17,000 to World Neighbors to pilot an "Adopt a Village" program to provide world geography and development instruction in Oklahoma City schools;
• $14,500 to Leadership Oklahoma to support its youth leadership initiative for high school juniors in the state;
• $14,000 to Possiblities for a program to partner neighborhood improvement groups with nearby schools;
• $12,000 to Oklahoma Heritage Association for a season sponsorship and scholarships for elementary-age students to attend a summer camp focused on conveying Oklahoma's history through its people;
• $12,000 to the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition to improve measurable education outcomes in public education; and,
• $10,500 to the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation to support its recognition of educators, its Partners in Education tutor program and its annual Wall of Fame fundraising dinner.

The American Fidelity Foundation also encourages donations by AFA Colleagues by providing a dollar-for-dollar match to Colleagues' personal donations to charities. During the past year, 207 separate donations made by individual Colleagues were matched by the Foundation. The total of those matching contributions from the Foundation was $39,291.

About American Fidelity Assurance Company
American Fidelity Assurance Company is a third-generation, family-owned organization providing insurance products and financial services to education employees, trade association members and companies throughout the United States and across the globe. Founded in 1960, it has grown to become one of the largest private, family-owned life and health insurance companies in the United States. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, American Fidelity has more than 1,500 employees in 26 locations across the nation. It was named to Fortune magazine's 2008 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the fifth straight year and also is on Computerworld magazine's list of the "Best Places to Work in IT." In addition, it has been ranked by Training Magazine as one of the Top 125 Companies in America for employee training. Since 1982, American Fidelity has been rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, one of the nation's leading insurance rating services.