Members of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) have been representing policyholders with insurance claims since the association was formed after Hurricane Andrew but now the adjusters are taking on a new role to help Floridians.
The Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters announced this week it is launching the Public Adjusters Pay It Forward campaign. FAPIA President, Paul Handerhan, said “Our association is proud to kick off the Pay It Forward campaign at Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital”. While children all over Florida are getting back into the swing of going back to school, the kids at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital are fighting a daily battle for good health. The FAPIA Community Affairs Committee took up a collection from public adjusters and raised funds to purchase over $1,700.00 in arts and crafts supplies, games, toys, and a gaming system with a video game collection for the playrooms at the Children’s Hospital. They have also hired a magician to help entertain the kids on Tuesday morning. “Our members are do-gooders who thrive when they see the positive results their efforts have on their local communities”, said FAPIA Managing Director, Nancy Dominguez.
It was 1992 when Memorial Children’s Hospital was named after baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. Joe said that having his name on the pediatric hospital meant more to him than being elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. He gave his name and fundraising efforts to support the facility, making clear the one caveat to all of his support: No child will ever be turned away because of inability to pay.
1992 was the same year that Hurricane Andrew devastated so many families and businesses in South Florida. FAPIA was formed in the wake of Hurricane Andrew to bring together licensed insurance professionals who advocate for consumers. The Public Adjusters Pay It Forward campaign is considered by the organizers as an opportunity to do more to help our local communities. FAPIA members are delighted to be helping brighten the day for the children at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. FAPIA Community Affairs Co-Chairperson, Alex Belben stated, “If everyone adds just a drop, we can create an ocean of good will.”
FAPIA is already planning the next outreach campaign with a food drive collection benefiting a local food bank in South Florida. The upcoming food drive program is particularly close to Committee Co-Chair, Karen Schiffmiller’s heart. “I can’t bear the thought of a child going to bed hungry. We can all do something to help the kids in our community”.
Someone once asked the great Joe DiMaggio why he played so hard. DiMaggio replied, "Because there is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him my best." Handerhan said, “It’s important for everyone to do their best to help their community. There are a lot of people out there who are burdened with difficulty. It just takes a little effort to make a big difference.”
About FAPIA – FAPIA was founded in 1992 to protect residential and business policyholders in the wake of devastating Hurricane Andrew in South Florida. Today FAPIA consists of nearly 400 members who are committed to ensuring homeowners who suffer an insured loss receive full and fair compensation from their insurance carriers. FAPIA members are located throughout the state and commit to a strict code of ethics as well as continuing education requirements to ensure policyholders receive the best representation. FAPIA consists of licensed insurance professionals who use their expertise to advocate for the consumer. The association is working to grow and enhance the industry by improving laws and regulations that govern public adjusters and their services to policyholders. For more information, visit www.fapia.net.
