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B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S 72 B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N Presumpscot and Saccarappa's partnerships with Unum aren't just beneficial for students. Unum volunteer Morgan Cramer said, "It's a gift to witness the remarkable growth in the children's appreciation of read- ing – especially in the younger kids, who are often unable to sit through one book at the beginning of the year and don't want to stop reading to us by the end of the year." Other volunteers agree that icebreaker games, mentoring and reading with students are fun ways to unplug from office-mode and connect with youth in a warm, welcoming environment. A passion for education For decades, Unum has developed community partnerships with a strong commitment to public education. Unum makes support- ing students, teachers and schools in the communities where its employees live and work a top priority. It's also the single biggest area of giving for the Fortune 500 employee benefits company. In fact, more than half of the company's charitable contributions go to education each year. If you ask Cary Olson-Cartwright, Unum's AVP of corporate social responsibility, why the focus on education, she'll tell you it's because bright futures begin with good education, and edu- cational opportunities are the foundation of strong communities. "Building a strong community is one of the most important ways we can make a positive impact in the lives of our customers, colleagues, friends and neighbors," Olson-Cartwright said. "We care about our communities, and about each other. Giving back to the place we live and work is central to who we are." "H o c u s p o c u s ," S o p h i e , a s t u d e n t f r o m Presumpscot Elementary School in Portland, says. "We're here to focus," a group of 25 volunteers from Unum responds. e lesson on classroom management from a fifth-grader was successful. For five years, Unum and Presumpscot have had a special relationship. Unum employees visit the school once a month for "Unum Reading Hour" to aid students with grade-level reading projects. e elementary school students, in turn, train Unum employees on classroom management skills, like signing into school, reading aloud to students, gaining students' attention and more. It's a practice that builds confidence and leadership skills in students at a young age. As part of another popular reading program, students from Saccarappa School visit Unum once a week to read to Unum employ- ees. It's a common belief that students "learn to read" by third grade, and "read to learn" after that. If students aren't on grade-level, the likelihood of them graduating from high school decreases. Unum's reading programs aim to ensure students are reading at grade-level. Research shows the more healthy relationships a child has with caring adults, the more successful they are likely to be. But Unum P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F U N U M Investing in bright futures Unum 2211 Congress St., Portland, ME 04122 Employee Benefits Mike Simonds, President and CEO, Unum US Founded:1848 as Union Mutual 2,800 employees www.unum.com Unum employees engage with students from Presumpscot Elementary School during "Unum Reading Hours."

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